Birmingham man BOB COTCHERY III, 28, was convicted yesterday by a federal jury on one count of possession with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl, a charge stemming from a high-speed street-level bust that exposed a deadly stash in plain sight. The conviction, handed down after a two-day trial before U.S. District Judge R. David Proctor, puts Cotchery III on the brink of a mandatory decade behind bars—or worse.
The evidence laid bare a scene of desperation and danger. On December 14, 2017, Birmingham police patrolling the Norwood neighborhood attempted to pull over Cotchery for a routine traffic violation. Instead of stopping, Cotchery fled—bailing out of his moving vehicle and bolting into a pitch-black alley. Officers gave chase, spotting him crouching beside a parked car before they took him down. Moments later, they found what he ditched: a Ziploc bag containing 494 grams of pure fentanyl, one of the most lethal opioids flooding Alabama’s streets.
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid up to 100 times more potent than morphine, has fueled a body count across the state. Cotchery’s nearly half-kilo cache could have killed thousands if distributed in single-dose form. His criminal history—already marred by prior drug trafficking convictions—amplifies the severity of the crime. Under federal law, he now faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Jay Town didn’t mince words. “Fentanyl is responsible for too many overdose deaths across Alabama and is something we wish we could uninvent,” he said. “As Cotchery found out today, criminals that peddle poisonous opioids like this, from clinic to street corner, will continue to be targets for prosecution. We will even leave a light on for them in a federal prison cell.”
Clay Morris, DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge, echoed the warning. “Today’s guilty verdict should send a clear message to anyone involved in the distribution of synthetic opioids. The DEA and our law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to protect our communities, families, and children. The distribution of any drug, especially fentanyl, will not be tolerated.”
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Birmingham Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory R. Dimler and Mohammad Khatib. With this conviction, federal authorities reinforce a no-quarter stance on opioid traffickers feeding Alabama’s addiction crisis—one arrest, one trial, one life sentence at a time.
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Key Facts
- State: Alabama
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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