On July 18, 2024, a federal grand jury in Knoxville, Tennessee, returned an eight-count indictment against four individuals. The defendants, Mark O’Neil Robinson, 41, of Atlanta, Georgia; Christopher Harold Roberts, 57, of Knoxville, Tennessee; Brian Kirksey, 44, of Knoxville, Tennessee; and Donnie Lee Oliver, 55, of Powell, Tennessee, are implicated in a conspiracy to distribute significant quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl.
The indictment accuses all defendants of conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl, violating 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), and 841(b)(1)(A). Additionally, Robinson faces charges for possessing a firearm with a silencer in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c). Roberts is charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, under 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 18 U.S.C. § 924(c).
Latest TN News
Initial court appearances were conducted on various dates: Robinson on July 22, 2024; Oliver and Kirksey on August 5, 2024; and Roberts on August 6, 2024. All initial appearances took place in the United States District Court at Knoxville before Judge Debra C. Poplin, where each defendant pleaded not guilty. The trial is scheduled for September 24, 2024, before Judge Katherine A. Crytzer in the same court.
If convicted, Robinson faces a mandatory minimum prison term of 60 years to life, along with other penalties. Kirksey and Oliver each face a minimum of 10 years to life in prison, while Roberts faces a minimum of 15 years to life in prison.
This case results from an investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations. United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton, III, announced the indictment.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Quencer and Caroline Poore will represent the United States. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation, which aims to disrupt and dismantle high-level drug traffickers and transnational criminal organizations.
The public is reminded that an indictment consists of charges only, and all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Source: Read Original Release
Joelton Man Arrested for Multiple Crimes
Thaddous Baskette, a 30-year-old from Joelton, was arrested by Nashville police for a series of vehicle thefts and other crimes committed over two months, including stealing a Dodge Ram and injuring its owner, with multiple outstanding warrants leading to his $163,000 bond.