KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Office of the District Attorney General in Knox County said six men were sentenced Friday after a 2017 investigation into cocaine trafficking in an East Knoxville apartment complex.
They said all six men were members of the Tree Top Piru gang and said that the Knoxville Police Department collected cocaine, guns, cell phones and other kinds of evidence during the investigation. They also said police responded to a homicide of another Tree Top Piru member on Jan. 17, 2018.
They said the victim in that homicide had been murdered by other members of the same gang after he refused orders from gang leaders to travel to California and commit a retaliatory shooting.
The men who were sentenced are listed below.
- Raffell Malik Griffin, Jr., 30: Life in prison plus 25 years after convictions for first-degree murder, conspiracy to sell cocaine and illegally having a gun.
- Decoiso Jacques Clark, 22: Life in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree murder.
- Sidarius Travon Jackson, 22: 53 years in prison after convictions of facilitating first-degree murder, conspiracy to sell cocaine and illegally having a gun.
- Robert Lee Cody, III, 32: 33 years in prison after convictions of conspiracy to sell cocaine and illegally having a gun.
- Thakelyn Jaquez Tate, 22: 15 years in prison after a conviction of conspiracy to sell cocaine
- Zephaniah Xavier Nyane, 24: 8 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to sell cocaine
There were several trials before Judge Kyle Hixson over the last year involving the investigation, according to a release from the District Attorney's office.