Convicted felons sentenced for years-long drug trafficking operation in DeKalb County, officials say

Two men previously convicted of felony drug distribution will spend years in federal prison for a years-long narcotics operation that resulted in a deadly high-speed police pursuit.

Daryl "Dirt" Hubbard, 46, was sentenced in federal court on Friday. Officials say 49-year-old Carl Todd had already received his sentence last year.

According to evidence presented in their trials, Hubbard and Todd distributed large amounts of cocaine and marijuana through businesses and homes across DeKalb County from around 2022 until they were arrested in 2024. 

On March 20, 2023, Hubbard met with two drug dealers at a warehouse he leased in Lithonia, giving them duffle bags full of narcotics. When police tried to stop the dealers' SUV in Lamar County, they sped off, leading to a chase that ended when their car crashed into a tree. The vehicle's passenger was killed, and its driver was paralyzed in the crash.

Hubbard and Todd were arrested when law enforcement executed search warrants at the former's Conyers home and at a stash house in Stonecrest on July 23, 2024. Authorities say they seized cocaine, marijuana, and five guns, one of which was stolen. 

"This case is a prime example of the consequences that could result from trafficking illegal drugs - one man dead, another paralyzed, and a police officer injured," said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. "Due to the hard work and sacrifices of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners and the Homeland Security Task Force, Hubbard and Todd were held accountable for their crimes and will serve lengthy prison sentences without parole."

Todd pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release.

Hubbard was also convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On Friday, a judge sentenced him to 12 years and four months in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $5,000 fine.