Federal and state law enforcement seized firearms, cash and packaged narcotics during a search of Roderick Battle's southeast Atlanta home, according to prosecutors. (Credit: U.S. Attorney's Office)
ATLANTA - A federal jury has convicted an Atlanta man of operating a sophisticated nationwide drug trafficking ring that hid fentanyl, methamphetamine and other narcotics inside guitar amplifiers and under vehicles hauled by tow trucks.
What we know:
The U.S. Attorney's Office announced that Roderick Battle, 49, of Atlanta, was convicted on Tuesday on charges including conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin, alongside money laundering and firearms counts.
Federal prosecutors presented evidence showing Battle operated the network between at least January 2021 and December 2024, shipping drugs nationwide using a stolen FedEx account that belonged to a sports memorabilia company.
According to prosecutors, the organization also moved narcotics hidden underneath vehicles loaded on tow trucks and inside guitar amplifiers.
Investigators said Pennsylvania State Police intercepted a package in May 2023 containing six kilograms of cocaine sent from Battle's residence in southeast Atlanta.
Four days later, federal and state agents raided his home, seizing $76,000 in cash, two firearms under his bed and massive quantities of packaged narcotics, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
While detained in U.S. Marshals Service custody pending trial, Battle continued facilitating narcotics distribution using a contraband mobile phone, prosecutors said.
Battle faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison.
What they're saying:
"Despite a prior conviction for trafficking narcotics, Battle was undeterred, operating a prolific drug trafficking network that supplied large quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine and other narcotics throughout the country," U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said.
FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham emphasized the coordinated crackdown.
"Roderick Battle led a sophisticated, multi-state drug trafficking operation that flooded communities across the country with dangerous narcotics, including fentanyl and methamphetamine," Graham said. "This conviction is a testament to the strong partnerships and coordinated efforts of law enforcement to dismantle these criminal networks and hold those responsible accountable."
What we don't know:
The U.S. Attorney's Office did not name the sports memorabilia business whose FedEx account was compromised.
Prosecutors have not revealed how Battle obtained the contraband cellphone inside federal custody.
Federal officials have not disclosed the identities or trial statuses of co-conspirators involved in the network.
What's next:
His formal sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 2, 2027, before a federal judge in Atlanta.
The Source: Information in this report was provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia.