Darius Jermaine "Tank" Blakemore
Joshua Corbett
Jessica Rachels
Two people charged in the heroin death of a 24-year-old man who had graduated from Drug Court less than 24 hours earlier have agreed to plead guilty in Federal Court.
Joshua Corbett, identified as the "runner" who delivered the heroin that caused the fatality to Jessica Rachels, is set to appear in court on Monday. Ms. Rachels is due to plead guilty on Aug. 29.
Darius "Tank" Blakemore, a high-ranking Rolling 60s Crips gang member identified as the source of the heroin, is also facing federal charges.
Corbett and Ms. Rachels are due to plead guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin as well as distribution of heroin.
They could face up to 20 years in prison each.
Prosecutors said the three were involved in dealing heroin from at least January to March of this year.
On Feb. 22, Blakemore sold a gram of heroin to Ms. Rachels at the McDonald's parking lot on Rossville Boulevard, it was stated.
Prosecutors said Corbett got out of Blakemore's new white BMW X5 SUV and handed the heroin to Ms. Rachels in exchange for $200.
Ms. Rachels was in the car with Logan Whiteaker and used his phone to call Blakemore, it was stated. She said Whiteaker had called her to ask where he could get some heroin. She said they were going in together on the heroin buy.
She said Whiteaker dropped her off soon after the purchase.
Prosecutors said the next day Whiteaker was found dead on the bathroom floor of his residence in Red Bank. A hypodermic needle was on the floor next to him and a small amount of heroin was on the counter.
Ms. Rachels said she had warned Whiteaker that the heroin batch was especially "strong."
Agents said that during a probe of heroin sales in Chattanooga that a black male known only as "Tank" came up as a supplier.
On March 16, agents had surveillance on the Towne Place Suites at 7010 McCutcheon Road. They saw a Lexus pull up in front of a white BMW.
The Lexus, driven by Ariel Bailey, then went to the Microtel Inn and Suites at 7014 McCutcheon Road. Blakemore got out there.
A traffic stop was then made of the Lexus. Ms. Bailey said Blakemore was her boyfriend and she had left him off at the motel.
Blakemore then left the Microtel with another black male. The vehicle was stopped at Dollar General on Shallowford Road.
Authorities said when Blakemore got out of the front passenger seat that an assault rifle fell onto the pavement. It had one round in the chamber and the magazine was loaded.
A search of the BMW turned up two loaded handguns.
Blakemore had on him a plastic bag containing 23.85 grams of crack cocaine and a plastic bag containing 3.9 grams of heroin.
Blakemore told agents he had been selling drugs since he was nine years old.
He said he had been dealing in heroin since January. He said he had two or three heroin customers.