KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A member of a hate group known for its virulent hate speech and violent crimes now faces at least 32 years in prison after he was convicted of illegally having a gun and drugs in his vehicle, officials said.
The District Attorney General's Office said Nicholas Jordan Alberts, 43, was pulled over in October 2022 after a Knox County Sheriff's Office deputy saw him cross the center double-yellow line. During the traffic stop, the deputy saw a gun in the passenger seat and a of drugs in the center console. A search of the vehicle revealed more heroin, methamphetamine, fentanyl, cash and a scale.
Prosecutors said he is a known member of the Aryan Nation criminal gang and had nine prior felony convictions.
The Southern Poverty Law Center said the Aryan Nations splintered into a handful of groups in 2010 after decades of intense racist and white supremacist rhetoric, but the Aryan Brotherhood remains an ongoing national crime syndicate known for its violence.
Prosecutors said Alberts' previous felony convictions included drug trafficking offenses, weapons offenses, aggravated burglary and theft. A release from the District Attorney General's Office said a jury fined him $95,000 and he was convicted of having heroin, meth and fentanyl with the intention of selling it as well as having a gun during the commission of a dangerous felony.
