ssharpKNOXVILLE, TN. (WLAF)- Two Campbell County men ensnared in a federal drug sting are moving through the judicial system but in seemingly opposite directions.
Billy H. Davis and Johnny Tackett were arrested in 2019 on federal drug charges.
Last May, Davis entered a guilty plea to possessing 500 grams of cocaine. Within that plea, Davis agreed he was guilty of distributing the cocaine. However, court records indicate Davis is changing his plea with a hearing scheduled for April 16.
Sentencing for that plea could have netted Davis between five and 40 years in prison, a supervised release of at least four years and a fine of up to $5 million along with a $100 special assessment, according to court records.
His local co- defendant, Tackett, was sentenced earlier this month for his part in the crimes. After pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, Tackett was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison. After his release, he will spend two years on probation, according to court records. While in prison, Tackett must complete 500 hours of substance abuse treatment and undergo a mental health evaluation following any recommendations that arise from that evaluation.
Davis and Tackett, trafficked narcotics with a confidential source 18 times beginning in Dec. 2018 until March 2019. Over the course of four months, the source bought cocaine and marijuana from the two with Tackett acting as the go between, court records said. Initially, the source would go to Tackett’s house and wait for him to go to Davis’ home to retrieve the drugs. Eventually, Davis began curbside service delivering the drugs to Tackett’s house in a silver Ford F150, the same truck that authorities had placed a tracking device on. The surveillance records matched with information of the tracking unit along with the information from the confidential source confirmed the drug trafficking.
This accumulation of evidence gave authorities enough cause to conduct a traffic stop on Davis in March 2019.
When police searched the truck, 25 ounces of marijuana and $10,418 was found. Among the just over $10,000 was $960 in marked money the drug task force had used the day before when the source bought cocaine from Davis and Tackett, court records said. Davis further allowed police to search his home where they discovered another 1.3 ounces of marijuana, 9.4 ounces of cocaine along with “several guns, a digital scale and ledgers.”
The original federal indictment named a total of 11 men.
During the course of the federal investigation DEA authorities began seizing money from 11 members group. In March 2019, authorities seized the $10,418 from Davis. A few months later law enforcement confiscated $11,960 from Christopher M. Wyrick and Khadashia J. Wyrick, both of Knoxville, and later seized just over $28,000 from the Proffitts 360 bank account, federal court records indicate. Money wasn’t the only thing the group had taken. A Lexus and Range Rover were taken as authorities moved in on the group as well as numerous pieces of gold and diamond jewelry. In the event of a conviction, any seized item, if connected to the alleged drug trade, will be forfeited under US Law. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED 03/25/2021- 6AM)