Atlanta drug kingpin hid drugs in guitar amplifiers, used stolen FedEx account

A federal jury convicted a 49-year-old man on Tuesday for leading a nationwide drug trafficking organization that distributed large quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin.

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Roderick Battle, 49, of Atlanta, was found guilty of conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, as well as money laundering and firearms-related charges.

According to the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, between at least January 2021 and December 2024, Battle and his co-conspirators hid drugs and drug money inside guitar amplifiers, using a stolen FedEx account belonging to a sports memorabilia business to ship packages nationwide. The operation also transported drugs hidden beneath vehicles carried on tow trucks.

Pennsylvania State Police intercepted a package on May 6, 2023, containing six kilograms of cocaine shipped from Battle’s home in southeast Atlanta. Four days later, on May 10, 2023, federal and state law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at his home.

During the search, officers seized large quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin packaged for distribution. Agents also found two guns under Battle’s bed along with $76,000 in cash, leading to his arrest on a criminal complaint that day.

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While detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial, Battle continued to direct the distribution of drugs using a contraband cellular telephone.

U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg commented on the outcome following the verdict.

“Despite a prior conviction for trafficking narcotics, Battle was undeterred, operating a prolific drug trafficking network that supplied large quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine and other narcotics throughout the country,” Hertzberg said. “This conviction reaffirms the steadfast dedication of my office and our federal and state law enforcement partners in the Homeland Security Task Force to protect the public from individuals who poison our communities with deadly drugs.”

FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham highlighted the interagency coordination involved in the case.

“Roderick Battle led a sophisticated, multi-state drug trafficking operation that flooded communities across the country with dangerous narcotics, including fentanyl and methamphetamine,” Graham said. “This conviction is a testament to the strong partnerships and coordinated efforts of law enforcement to dismantle these criminal networks and hold those responsible accountable.”

DEA Atlanta Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Connolly emphasized the joint enforcement efforts.

“Cases of this magnitude are not solved by one agency alone,” Connolly said. “This investigation demonstrates what can be accomplished when federal, state and local law enforcement partners work together with a shared mission. As part of the Homeland Security Task Force, our collective efforts exposed a sophisticated drug trafficking and money laundering network, disrupted its operations and secured a conviction against the individual responsible for leading it.”

Battle’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 2, 2027. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison.

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