Vice Lords Gang Member Convicted by Jury

Another gang member is being sent to prison due to the hard work of the prosecutors in the newly-created Career Gang Unit. A Knox County jury convicted Ziberia Carero, 35, of Possession with Intent to Deliver Cocaine. Also at trial, Assistant District Attorney General Philip Morton argued Carero was a member of the Vice Lords criminal street gang. The finding that Carero was a gang member raises this offense to a Class A felony which carries a punishment of fifteen to sixty years in prison.

The case arose out of an October 2012 investigation by Officer Michael Geddings of the Knoxville Police Department into cocaine sales by Carero who went by the street name”Ghost Z.” Investigator Tom Walker of the Knox County Sheriff’s Office testified about Carero’s involvement in the Vice Lords including Carero’s testimony at a previous trial in which he admitted being a member of the gang. Carero is currently serving twenty-three years in prison for that prior conviction.

District Attorney General Charme Allen created the Career Gang Unit when she took office to combat the growing gang problem in Knox County. Allen stated,”Unfortunately, Knoxville has seen an increase in gang activity in recent years. Our city has thirty-two confirmed gangs with over fifteen hundred confirmed gang members. My office is doing everything that we can to obtain convictions and enhanced sentences to send these dangerous, violent gang members to prison for as long as possible.”

Judge Steve Sword set a sentencing hearing for May 7. At that hearing, the DA’s Office will seek an enhanced sentence based on Carero’s gang membership and prior criminal convictions.

If you have any questions, please contact Sean McDermott at 865-215-2515 or Sean.McDermott@knoxcounty.org. For more information about the District Attorney’s Office, visit our website at dag.knoxcountytn.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.