Trooper Ryan Fletcher was recognized by the Tennessee Narcotics Officers Association for what authorities say is the largest area cocaine seizure so far this year.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper is being honored for his work catching a Mexican man who authorities say was trying to sneak 20 kilos of cocaine into East Tennessee -- the biggest such drug haul of the year in the state.

Ryan Fletcher stopped Luis Daniel Hernandez Mendoza the morning of April 29 on Interstate 75 at mile marker 82 driving an 2011 Audi Q7 SUV.

Knoxville, Tenn. – On September 24, 2020, the United States Attorney’s Office filed a federal complaint charging two individuals, Michael Allen Hill, 45, and Heavyn Breanne Thomas, 23, both from Knoxville, TN, with conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, one kilogram or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, a Schedule I controlled substance, and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.

BLOUNTVILLE — Between March 1 and Aug. 1, 22 people died in Sullivan County as the result of drug overdoses, often from using heroin laced with other drugs, with fentanyl having become a common lethal additive.

That startling figure was among information shared on Friday by District Attorney General Barry Staubus, 2nd Judicial District (Sullivan County), and other members of the Sullivan County Drug Related Death Task Force.

Knoxville, Tenn. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict against four defendants for their roles in running “pill mills,” announced Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowksi of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U. S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey of the Eastern District of Tennessee.

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On June 3, 2019, Brandon Lee Alexander, 36 of Morristown, Tennessee, was sentenced by the Honorable J. Ronnie Greer, U.S. District Judge, to serve 216 months in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; possession with the intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.  Alexander was also denied his request for a new trial.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On April 16, 2019, a federal grand jury in Knoxville returned an eight-count indictment against Damion Knox, 34, Darnez Turner, 30, Jeremiah Johnson, 23, and Papa Diop, 23, all of Detroit, Michigan; Joshua Cooper, 37, Virgil Crawford, 45, Jessica Bouvier, 30, Stephen Bouvier, 38, Jama Collier, 23, and Tina Berry, 55, all of Knoxville, Tennessee; and, five individuals not yet in federal custody at the time of this release.  This case has been set for trial on July 1, 2019. 

CHATTANOOGA – Special Agents with the Drug Investigation Division of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation were part of a multi-agency arrest round-up in Franklin County this week that resulted in the arrest of 12 people on a variety of drug-related charges.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On April 30, 2018, Maximino Contreras, 47, of Tollison, Arizona, was sentenced by the Honorable Pamela L. Reeves, U.S. District Judge, to serve 210 months in federal prison for his role in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy. 

A Florida pilot and a California woman face prosecution after police say they found them at the Crossville airport with about 150 pounds of "pharmaceutical grade" marijuana.

The TBI identified the pair as Dennis Howard Bonneau, 47, of Weston, Fla., and Erin Elizabeth Reed, 34, of Arcata, California.

They were being held in the Cumberland County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bond each. They each face a count of manufacturing, sale or delivery of a schedule VI (marijuana) drug.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – On June 28, 2017, Darius Jermaine Blakemore, a.k.a. Tank, 28, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin resulting in death, distribution of heroin resulting in death, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute crack, and possession with intent to distribute heroin. He entered this guilty plea during the second day of his trial for the same offenses.