Courtland Man Convicted Trafficking 500 Grams Methamphetamine Faces Life Sentence

Jyasiel Devante Hampton, a 33-year-old man from Courtland with an extensive felony history, was convicted by a Morgan County jury for trafficking more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. Hampton was arrested in March 2022 after arranging to sell 1.5 pounds of meth for $5,000 to undercover agents from the North Alabama Drug Task Force. Testimony revealed that the drugs were transported into Decatur from Colbert County, and Hampton was unaware he was communicating with law enforcement. The jury deliberated for just 30 minutes before reaching the verdict. Hampton faces a mandatory life sentence, with or without parole, along with a $100,000 fine, with sentencing scheduled for November 6, 2025. Separately, Edward Albert Ernsting from Kentucky was sentenced to over six years for trafficking fluorofentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine, highlighting ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking in multiple states.