Joint Investigation Leads to 12 Robertson County Defendants Charged in Federal Cocaine Trafficking Case
SPRINGFIELD / ROBERTSON COUNTY, TENNESSEE: (Smokey Barn News) – Twelve Robertson County residents have been federally indicted on charges stemming from a multi-year investigation into the alleged distribution of cocaine and crack cocaine, along with related firearms offenses, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Braden H. Boucek announced.
A federal grand jury returned the indictments in August 2026. The defendants are charged with conspiring to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine, as well as numerous substantive drug trafficking offenses. One defendant also faces a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The investigation began in approximately January 2024 and was conducted by the Robertson County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with assistance from federal law enforcement partners.
On September 3, 2026, members of the Robertson County Sheriff’s Office, ATF, Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), and United States Marshals Service carried out a coordinated operation to execute federal arrest warrants. Six of the indicted defendants were arrested during the operation. An additional defendant was located in Ohio the following day and remains in custody there on state warrants. Five defendants were already in custody on other charges and are expected to make appearances in federal court later this month.
The defendants and alleged charges include:
Derrick Artell Hurt, 47, of Greenbrier
- Conspiracy to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 280 grams or more of crack cocaine
- Three counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Santoria Antonio Brown, a/k/a “Hoggie,” 48, of Springfield
- Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine
- Twelve counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Terrelle Epprise Payne, a/k/a “Rat Daddy,” 53, of Springfield
- Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine
- Five counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Felon in possession of a firearm
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Michael Christopher Bigbee, a/k/a “Big Mike,” 42, of Springfield
- Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine
- Four counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Alandis Vontay Darden, a/k/a “Apple Head,” 43, of Springfield
- Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine
- Nine counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Anthony Terrill Swoopes, a/k/a “Swoopes,” 56, of Springfield
- Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine
- Four counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Tomika Mischelle Woodard, a/k/a “Mickey,” 53, of Springfield
- Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine
- Seven counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
David Lee Brown, 41, of Springfield
- Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine
- Two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Nola Ann Davis, 52, of Springfield
- Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine
- Four counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Donald Ray Bugg, 36, of Springfield
- Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine
- Two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Shauntai Deshelle Black, 29, of Springfield
- Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine
- One count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Taylor Leighann Rose, 29, of Springfield
- Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
“Cocaine and crack cocaine poison neighborhoods, and the firearms that travel with them turn drug deals into shootings,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “For more than two years, the Robertson County Sheriff’s Office and ATF built this case one transaction at a time, and today a dozen alleged traffickers are facing federal charges because of that work. That is a tremendous and commendable effort by our local law enforcement partners along with the ATF Nashville office. We will use every tool the law gives us to dismantle drug networks in Middle Tennessee, and we are grateful to our partners at every level of law enforcement who made this operation possible.”
“This case is a prime example of law enforcement working collectively to protect our communities and confront those who blatantly disregard public safety by distributing deadly narcotics and illegally possessing firearms,” said Special Agent in Charge Jamey VanVliet. “ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and charge those individuals who continue to make our neighborhoods unsafe through armed drug trafficking activities.”
“The success of this multi-year operation is a direct reflection of the strong working relationships and partnerships we have built with our local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies,” said Robertson County Sheriff Michael Van Dyke. “Through communication, cooperation, and a shared commitment to our community, we were able to remove illegal drugs and firearms from our streets and hold those involved in criminal activity accountable. We are grateful to every agency and officer who worked together to make this operation a success.”
The investigation remains active and ongoing. The cases are being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
These arrests are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad.
