| Sources |
- [S23] Atchley Funeral Home, (http://www.atchleyfuneralhome.com/), 25 Oct 2003.
William Willis Hickman obituary
- [S74] Atchley Funeral Home Records, Volume IV, 1987-1999, Larry D. Fox, (Smoky Mountain Historical Society), 6 Jan 1999.
Edith Florence Hickman obituary
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 28 Apr 2006.
A Kodak man pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal drug charges for his part in a meth ring that allegedly involved at least seven other people.
Howard Hickman, 55, entered a guilty plea to manufacturing methamphetamine and to possession of firearms despite previous felony convictions.
His plea agreement with federal prosecutors didn't include any guidelines for sentencing. With prior drug convictions on his record, he could be sentenced as a career offender, prosecutor W. Brownlow Marsh said. That means Hickman could face a life sentence for the crime, he stated.
The Sevier County Sheriff's Department initiated the investigation, which started in 2003, Sheriff Bruce Montgomery said. Deputies started investigating Hickman and other suspects because they had noticed at least some members of the group had been at other meth busts in the county, and became suspicious the group was making its own meth when they learned that a key ingredient had repeatedly been stolen from a local business.
"Of 35 meth busts we've done ...15 or 16 of them were related to this organization," Capt. Randy Parton said.
The seven other people charged at the same time as Howard Hickman include his brother, Donald Hickman, who is 46; their nephew, Jeff Hickman, who is 38; Jason Foster, 28; Adam Ogle, 27; William Drew, 48; Jessica James, 25, and Angelina Bradley, 35.
All of the other defendants except Jeff Hickman and Jessica James have pleaded guilty to the federal charges for manufacturing meth. Marsh said he anticipates a plea agreement with James; Jeff Hickman has entered a plea of not guilty and is expected to seek a trial.
In entering the plea agreement, Howard Hickman admitted that he was involved in a group that made the drug and to carrying a .38-caliber pistol and a .22-caliber revolver. Because of his prior felony convictions, it was illegal for Hickman to carry firearms.
Marsh said that investigators found Hickman carrying the weapons, and that he also had possession of scales, methamphetamines and packets of psuedophedrine, one of the ingredients used to make methamphetamines.
Court records, including the facts agreed upon in previous plea agreements, indicate that Donald Hickman and Angelina Bradley were the leaders of the organization. Documents for those two state they "directed conspirators to purchase or steal the ingredient and components needed to manufacture methamphetamine," and paid them with the finished drug or with cash.
The documents say the group manufactured between 1.5 kilograms and 5 kilograms of the drug. Donald Hickman and Angelina Bradley pleaded guilty to making that amount. Ogle, Drew and Foster admitted to making 500 grams to 1.5 kilograms - the same amount as Howard Hickman.
Ogle said he learned to make the drug from Donald Hickman and Angelina Bradley, and eventually traded Donald Hickman psuedophedrine and lithium batteries for meth. Foster said he also bought or stole ingredients in return for cash or drugs.
Drew said he made the drugs with them, and stole anhydrous ammonia from a local ice company at least 15 times.
As the sheriff's department learned more about the case, they began to contact other agencies, Montgomery said. The case would eventually involve several East Tennessee law enforcement agencies, the DEA, TBI and a regional drug task force.
"It was a very extensive joint effort," Marsh said.
|
Search | Advanced Search
Abt 1951 - (~ 73 years)
, d. 25 Oct 2003 (Age 78 years)