Six Foley Area Residents Sentenced to Prison for Drug Trafficking
By Rick McCann
Blue RAM Media/Gulf Coast News
March 26, 2026
FOLEY, Ala. An announcement by the Department of Justice reported that six Foley area people previously charged with drug trafficking have been sentenced for their part in the operation.
According to the news release from the United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Alabama, Douglas McArthur Watts, Jr., 40, of Foley, Daryl Wayne Thomas, 46, of Elberta, David Joel Murphy, 52, of Summerdale, Benny Joe Ray, Jr., 48, of Foley, Danielle Lea Morris, 51, of Foley, and Jack Carnell Rowe, 34, of Foley pleaded guilty to taking part in a “massive drug-trafficking organization,” led by Watts.
The organization is blamed for distributing kilograms of bulk methamphetamine. Agents reportedly seized large amounts of methamphetamine, firearms, cash and other drugs from Watts and the members of the organization between June 2022 and July 2024.
According to authorities, numerous times during 2023 and 2024, undercover narcotics agents and operatives made audio- and video-recorded controlled purchases of different amounts of methamphetamine from Watts, Thomas, Murphy, Ray, Morris, and Rowe at several locations in Baldwin County:
On June 20, 2023, Rowe sold an informant 9.5 grams of methamphetamine in Foley
On July 18, 2023, Watts sold an informant 91.17 grams of methamphetamine in Foley
On Sept. 28, 2023, agents seized 20.14 grams of methamphetamine and other evidence from a trailer belonging to Ray and Morris in Foley
On Jan. 16, 2024, agents seized 96.4 grams of methamphetamine from Thomas during a “buy-bust” in Foley
On Feb. 14, 2024, Murphy sold an informant 27.3 grams of methamphetamine in Summerdale
Finally, in July 2024, agents searched the apartment of one of Watts’ suppliers in Pensacola, where they seized more than 3 kg of methamphetamine, more than 221 grams of fentanyl, several loaded firearms and $56,949 cash.
Additionally, cell phones seized during that search revealed tens of thousands of dollars worth of drug-related Cash App payments and discussions of purchases and sales of pounds of methamphetamine.
The defendants received the following sentences:
Watts will serve 120 months in prison, followed by a 10-year term of supervised release
Thomas will serve 141 months in prison, followed by a five-year term of supervised release
Murphy will serve 131 months in prison, followed by a 10-year term of supervised release
Ray will serve 60 months in prison, followed by a five-year term of supervised release
Morris and Rowe will be sentenced at a later date according to the release.
During the supervised release, each defendant will be required to submit to drug testing and treatment. Murphy will receive a mental health evaluation and treatment.
No fines were imposed, but the defendants were ordered to pay a total of $400 in special assessments.
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