Tennessee Man Sentenced To Prison On Perjury Charges For Falsely Impersonating His Brother

ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Today, U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger sentenced Robby Lynn Hawkins, 36, of Rockwood, Tennessee to 15 months in prison on perjury charges for falsely impersonating his brother in court proceedings, announced Jill Westmoreland Rose, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Judge Reidinger also ordered Robby Hawkins to serve two years under court supervision after he is released from prison.

U.S. Attorney Rose is joined in making today’s announcement by Steve Kloster, Chief Ranger of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

According to filed documents and statements made in court, on November 28, 2015, Park Rangers conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle Robby Hawkins was driving within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  The vehicle had been reported as stolen in Jackson City, Tennessee.  Robby Hawkins told law enforcement that his name was “Ricky Lynn Hawkins,” which is his brother’s name, and gave his brother’s date of birth.  Subsequently, Robby Hawkins was arrested for driving with a revoked license and possession of a stolen vehicle. 

According to court records, during court proceedings that followed, Robby Hawkins was addressed by the court as “Ricky Hawkins,” and signed court documents using his brother’s name. Court records show that, under his brother’s name, Robby Hawkins was then sentenced to 15 days in prison after pleading guilty to a petty offense charge of possession of a stolen vehicle.  According to court records, law enforcement discovered soon thereafter that “Ricky Hawkins” was incarcerated in Indiana, and that Robby Hawkins had falsely impersonated him in court proceedings.  Robby Hawkins was then charged with one count of perjury in a court document.  He pleaded guilty to the charge in February 2016.

The investigation was handled by the Rangers of the .The prosecution was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville.