Yellowhammer Times

Henderson Pippins, a 45-year-old resident of Mobile, Alabama, was sentenced on September 25, 2025, to more than 16 years in federal prison for his involvement in a drug trafficking organization led by Darrin Southall. Pippins was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, as well as possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

Court documents indicate that Southall operated a large-scale criminal enterprise responsible for distributing significant quantities of controlled substances in the Mobile area and laundering proceeds through various financial channels. Pippins acted as a kilogram-level distributor within this operation. In February 2022, Southall received a 35-year federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to running the criminal enterprise and related charges.

United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer handed down the sentence for Pippins and ordered five years of supervised release following his imprisonment. During supervision, Pippins will be required to undergo testing and treatment for substance abuse and will be subject to searches based on reasonable suspicion. The court did not impose a fine but ordered Pippins to pay $200 in special assessments.

The investigation involved multiple agencies, including the Mobile Police Department, Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Saraland Police Department, St. Tammany Parish (Louisiana) Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case.