Anthony L. Ward
A Chattanooga man's jail phone calls led agents to find stashes of drugs and cash at his home.
Anthony L. Ward, 59, this week received a 14-year federal prison sentence on drug selling charges.
Prosecutors said Ward had prior convictions for drug felonies.
In September of 2022, county deputies began surveillance of Ward's home at 6601 Riggins Ave. On Nov. 22, 2022, they observed Riggins and another individual in a hand to hand transaction.
That same day, Ward was arrested for a traffic infraction and for an outstanding warrant.
In a phone call, Ward instructed the other person on the line to "get all that" out of a vacuum.
He told another person to "look behind the bed. It's a pillow. Tell her get that pillow. . . it's about $10,000 in it."
Deputies, who had intercepted the calls, afterward seized a plastic bag containing 93.7 grams of fentanyl that was in a vacuum cleaner.
A pillow was found behind the bed where Ward slept. It contained $9,836.