A convicted drug trafficker freed early by President Biden’s clemency program now faces federal charges after authorities allegedly seized 29 kilograms of cocaine, two kilograms of fentanyl, and seven kilograms of heroin in a multi-state investigation that ended with his arrest in North Carolina.
Traffic Stop Uncovers Major Drug Haul
Federal agents observed Walter Lee Muhammad, 46, loading suspected drugs into a BMW in Atlanta on August 5. DEA investigators followed the vehicle to Greensboro, North Carolina, where local deputies conducted a traffic stop. A drug-detection K-9 alerted to the presence of narcotics, prompting a search that uncovered 29 kilograms of suspected cocaine inside the vehicle. Muhammad was arrested immediately at the scene.
The following day, DEA agents executed search warrants at two Atlanta properties linked to Muhammad. At his Midtown apartment, investigators recovered approximately two kilograms of suspected fentanyl and seven kilograms of suspected heroin. A second search at a southwest Atlanta location yielded three firearms, including one reported stolen.
Decades of Drug Convictions
Muhammad’s criminal history spans more than 20 years, with federal convictions for drug trafficking offenses in 1999, 2010, and 2020. His most recent conviction involved possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, which resulted in a 10-year federal prison sentence. On December 12, 2024, then-President Joe Biden commuted his sentence as part of a sweeping clemency action that reduced sentences for nearly 1,500 federal inmates convicted of non-violent drug offenses.
U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg addressed the arrest directly. Muhammad is a serial drug trafficker who continued to deal lethal fentanyl and other dangerous drugs despite receiving the extraordinary gift of presidential clemency, Hertzberg stated. The community is safer with this repeat offender off the street and back behind bars, he added.
Federal Response to Repeat Offender
DEA Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Jae W. Chung emphasized the significance of removing fentanyl from communities. Despite receiving a second chance, this defendant returned to trafficking fentanyl and putting lives at risk, Chung said. The seizure of this significant amount of fentanyl serves as a reminder that we will continue to hold those who profit from this deadly poison accountable.
Muhammad appeared before a federal magistrate judge in Greensboro on Thursday and remains in custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. A federal criminal complaint filed August 7 charges him with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. He will later appear in federal court in Atlanta for further proceedings.