FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, October 23, 2008
[CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE] -- Ten (10) men and women were arrested today in Fayetteville, Tennessee, by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), the 17th Judicial Drug Task Force (JDTF) and Lincoln County Sheriff's Department, in a coordinated investigation involving various violations of federal drug and gun offenses. Other defendants have been arrested in the same investigation on state charges involving drug, gun and violent crime offenses.
Aaron Shaw, age 32; Eddie Ray Massey, age 45; Jermell Landers, age 31; Brittany Davis, age 23; Jimmy Drake, age 43; Eric Cole, age 31; Nicolas Conner, age 31; Edward Thomas, age 40; Dominic Brown, age 28; and, Lakeia Ashby, age29, all of Fayetteville, Tennessee, were indicted by a federal grand jury in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on federal charges including drug and weapons violations. Other defendants are pending arrest on federal charges and their names and other pertinent information will be released upon their initial appearance before the United States Magistrate Judge. A list of each individual charge with the potential penalty, if convicted, can be found on the attached summary sheet. Defendants arrested on state charges have been charged with crimes of violence and drugs and weapons offenses. Initial appearances on the federal charges are scheduled for Friday, October 24, 2008, in United States District Court in Chattanooga, before the Honorable Susan K. Lee, United States Magistrate Judge and on the states charges before judges in the Lincoln County General Sessions Court.
Special Agent in Charge Jim Cavanaugh, ATF said, "These arrests stem from a coordinated effort by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies aimed at enforcing federal and state gun, drug and violent crime laws in Lincoln County, Tennessee."
“The Lincoln County Sheriff's Department is very grateful to the ATF, TBI, and the U.S. Attorney's Office involved in this investigation and their assistance in the investigaion leading to these charges,” stated Lincoln County Sheriff Murray O. Blackwelder.
Mark Gwyn, the Director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said, "It is important for agencies like the TBI and ATF to cooperate, join forces and use technology to their advantage in investigations such as this."
Members of the public are reminded that these are only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
For additional information, please contact United States Attorney Russ Dedrick, 865-545-4167, AUSA Perry H. Piper, 423-752-5140, or Public Information Officer Sharry Dedman-Beard, 865-545-4167.