Gulfport, Miss. — Alexander Archie, Jr., 41, admitted in federal court today to selling heroin in a sting that exposed a stash of drugs, cash, and drug packaging tools inside a Gulfport hotel room. The guilty plea, entered before U.S. District Court Judge Sul Ozerden, marks a direct hit in the ongoing battle against opioid distribution on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
On July 31, 2017, law enforcement closed in after receiving intelligence pointing to heroin sales from a room at the Best Western in Gulfport. The Harrison County Sheriff’s Department Narcotics Division launched an undercover operation that ended when Archie sold approximately 3.5 grams of the deadly narcotic to a confidential informant. He was taken into custody immediately after the controlled buy.
Armed with a warrant, agents stormed the hotel room and turned up 74.1 grams of heroin stashed inside, along with a digital scale, plastic sandwich bags used for portioning, and bundles of cash. The paraphernalia painted a textbook picture of a street-level dealer running a small but active distribution hub.
Archie now faces the full weight of the federal system. He is set for sentencing on June 11, 2018, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Ozerden. The charge of possession with intent to distribute heroin carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine—consequences that could lock him away for nearly two decades.
The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration with critical support from the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department Narcotics Division. Their collaboration turned a tip into a solid case, showcasing the reach of local-federal task forces in targeting drug networks.
Assistant United States Attorney Shundral H. Cole prosecuted the case, underscoring the Department of Justice’s push to hold accountable those fueling the region’s opioid crisis. With heroin seizures on the rise, authorities warn that even small-scale dealers like Archie face severe federal consequences.
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Key Facts
- State: Mississippi
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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