BIRMINGHAM, AL — Federal and local law enforcement arrested 14 defendants indicted in November as part of a multi-million dollar continuing criminal enterprise and conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana, mainly within western Jefferson County.

The arrests were a result of the three-year Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation into a West Jefferson County based drug-trafficking enterprise and conspiracy in a 58-count superseding indictment, which identified acts by the organization over a period of six years. The man accused as the leader of the organization, Rolando Williamson, 34, aka "Baldhead" and "Ball Head," was already in custody and charged with the original federal indictment for possessing with intent to distribute a large quantity of heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana and firearms on Aug. 22.



Seized in that arrest were 366 grams of heroin/fentanyl, 109 grams of suspected cocaine, 573 grams of pure methamphetamine, and 52 kilos of marijuana. Found with the drugs was more than $97,000 in cash, an arsenal of firearms, and ammunition.

"Today, a group of federal and local law enforcement officers dismantled a drug-trafficking operation charged with peddling the poison of methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and marijuana onto the streets of our city," U.S. Attorney Jay Town said. "Much of the heroin was laced with the deadly drug fentanyl. This indictment represents years of dedicated work by the FBI, IRS-CID, HSI, Bessemer Police Department, the North Alabama Safe Streets Task Force, and prosecutors in my office."



Williamson is charged with the "Kingpin Statute," a count of continuing criminal enterprise, a serious charge reserved for principal criminals who obtain substantial income or resources from drug trafficking enterprises involving several persons and substantial amounts of drugs. If convicted, Williamson will spend the rest of his life in prison.

According to the indictment, 18 people are charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin/fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana between March 2013 and August 2019. In addition to Williamson, those defendants are:

