August 14, 2012

GREENEVILLE, Tenn.- Kevin Michael Yerkes, 33, of Rogersville, Tenn., was sentenced on August 13, 2012, to serve 170 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, by the Honorable J. Ronnie Greer, U.S. District Judge. Yerkes pleaded guilty on March 2, 2012, to a federal indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute oxycodone.

In early 2011, the Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office conducted a drug investigation of Yerkes, whereby he was observed making several sales of oxycodone. A search warrant carried out in April 2011 at Yerkes’ residence uncovered illegal narcotics, drug paraphernalia and multiple firearms. In May 2011 a grand jury in the Eastern District of Tennessee, at Greeneville, filed a 10-count indictment charging Yerkes with being a convicted felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, conspiracy to distribute oxycodone, and distribution of oxycodone.

The indictment and subsequent conviction of Yerkes was the result of an investigation conducted by the Hawkins County Sheriff’s Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives into the illegal sale of prescription narcotics. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Gregory Bowman represented the United States.