ssharpJACKSBORO, TN (WLAF) – Robbie Gibson has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for terrorizing a Campbell County woman.
On Wednesday, Gibson’s attorney, made a last ditch effort to save his client from prison, but Gibson’s history got in the way.
Telling the court Gibson “regretted” his actions and “wished it had never happened,” Andrew Crawford argued his side of the case via Zoom from the county jail. Seated beside him was Gibson, clad in the jail’s standard green inmate attire.
Earlier this fall, Gibson was convicted by a jury of three felony offenses; aggravated stalking, possession of a prohibited weapon and aggravated assault. The trial lasted two days.
At Wednesday’s hearing, the victim also appeared via Zoom.
“This has changed my life whole life,” she said. “ I thought this man was my friend.”
Gibson crimes included setting off small explosives outside the victim’s home in 2019.
At the time, the victim told LaFollette Police “she heard a loud bang outside her home and saw a truck matching Gibson’s truck,” a green 2002 Ford F-150 near her home. The woman also told police she had an order of protection against Gibson, the police report said.
Later that night, police received another call to the same West Walden Street address. Based on the report, the woman’s son found some homemade explosives. Police searched the property and found several pieces of bottles that had exploded and three bottles that failed to detonate. The bottles were defused and upon the inspection of the bombs, police discovered projectiles in the bottles consisting of nails.
“This was not a prank,” Jordan Horowitz, assistant district attorney for the Eighth Judicial District, told the court. There was “shrapnel” consisting of nails and razor blades in the unexploded bottles, he said.
Gibson, who as on probation at the time of the incident, sat motionless as Horowitz described the crimes.
Crawford attempted to argue his client was a candidate for probation.
“He spent the first 30 years of his life trouble free,” Crawford said. “He has some criminal history, but it’s not extensive.”
A review of Gibson’s arrests during court told a different story. The charges included theft, criminal trespassing, assault, evading arrest and underage consumption.
The probation he was serving at the time of his arrest was for harassing the same victim.
“I thought he would leave me alone,” the victim told the court. “I fear Mr. Gibson.”
Gibson will serve his sentence with the Tennessee Department of Corrections. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 12/21/2020-6AM)