Chattanooga Man With Prior 10-Year Federal Drug Sentence Gets Arrested Again By Feds

  • Wednesday, May 25, 2022
Antonio Dewayne Menifee
Antonio Dewayne Menifee

A Chattanooga man who earlier spent 10 years in federal prison on drug charges has been arrested again on charges of selling cocaine and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Antonio Dewayne Menifee, 45, is being held in federal custody.

Prosecutors said last Sept. 21 a federal search warrant was executed at 8209 Blue Spruce Dr., the residence of Menifee and his girlfriend.

Authorities said the search was based on a document warrant related to a fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan in Menifee's name and was executed by federal and state law enforcement officers.

During the execution of the search warrant, investigators discovered in the residence ammunition, illegal narcotics and drug paraphernalia.

Prosecutors said Menifee is a known local narcotics dealer. The narcotics, ammunition and paraphernalia were specifically located in an upstairs bedroom shared by Menifee and the girlfriend.

Authorities noted that Menifee is a convicted felon and cannot be in constructive possession of the ammunition. The search was paused, and a subsequent search warrant was obtained by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) for illegal narcotics. Once the search was continued, a Glock 9mm, later identified as stolen, and bulk cash were discovered in separate bedrooms. As a result of the executed search warrants, approximately eight grams of suspected marijuana, approximately 8.05 ounces of cocaine packaged in multiple plastic baggies, a digital scale, approximately 34 Zyrtec 10mg tablets, a baggy of unidentified pills, a stolen firearm, ammunition and approximately $15,000 in bulk cash, were located and seized from Menifee's residence by the HCSO.

In an interview following the search, the girlfriend said the narcotics found in the residence belonged to Menifee, who has a prior federal felony conviction for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base, unlawful sale of a firearm and distribution of five grams or more of cocaine base.

His original sentence was 180 months, and that was later reduced to 120 months.

Menifee admitted that he was a convicted felon and that he could not possess a firearm.

On Dec. 6, the Sheriff's Office issued an arrest warrant for Menifee as a result of the items seized during the search of the residence conducted on Sept. 24. He currently being charged by the state with simple possession of marijuana, possession of cocaine for resale and possession of drug paraphernalia.

During the interview, Menifee admitted that he had purchased the cocaine found during the search from another individual. He said he purchased 8.05 ounces of cocaine from that individual for $4,200 per 4.5 ounces.

He said he would meet the individual at various locations around Shallowford Road to make the drug transactions.

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