Knoxville and Chattanooga gang members convicted of drug trafficking, firearm offenses, and money laundering.
A federal jury in the Eastern District of Tennessee convicted eight members of a gang from Knoxville and Chattanooga of various crimes related to drug trafficking, firearm offenses, and money laundering. The defendants were found guilty of conspiring to distribute various controlled substances, including methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, marijuana, oxycodone, alprazolam, and buprenorphine.
The jury also convicted various defendants of conspiracy to commit money laundering and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking offenses. The convictions followed a two-week trial in front of United States District Judge Thomas A. Varlan.
The defendants face varying terms of imprisonment of up to life in prison and $10,000,000 in fines. Sentencing hearings for all eight defendants will be set for early 2022.
The case was part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and HIDTA programs. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Knoxville Police Department, Cleveland Police Department, Chattanooga Police Department, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, the Tennessee Department of Corrections, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
The proof presented at trial revealed that seven of the defendants were members of the Unknown Ghost Vice Lords in Knoxville, and another defendant, Demetrius Bibbs, was a member of the Black P Stone Bloods in Chattanooga. The proof also showed that the members of the Unknown Ghost Vice Lords distributed kilogram quantities of methamphetamine and other drugs in the Knoxville and Chattanooga areas.
According to Acting United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III, the prosecution is part of the Department of Justice’s comprehensive strategy to reduce violence and increase safety in the community by disrupting and dismantling violent criminal organizations that distribute highly addictive, dangerous, and deadly drugs, such as fentanyl and methamphetamine.
The defendants convicted include:
- Alim Turner, 23, of Knoxville, TN
- Ushery Stewart, 22, of Knoxville, TN
- Ronald Turner, 25, of Knoxville, TN
- Kedaris Gilmore, 23, of Knoxville, TN
- Mahlon Prater, Jr., 25, of Knoxville, TN
- Trevor Cox, 22, of Knoxville, TN
- Demetrius Bibbs, 29, of Chattanooga, TN
- Jyshon Forbes, 27, of Knoxville, TN
The defendants face varying terms of imprisonment of up to life in prison and $10,000,000 in fines. Sentencing hearings for all eight defendants will be set for early 2022.
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Key Facts
- State: Tennessee
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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