Skyline Piru Gang Member Convicted of Heroin Distribution

Prosecutors in DA Charme Allen’s Career Gang Unit obtained multiple convictions today against a member of the Skyline Piru street gang and his co-defendant for their roles in a heroin distribution enterprise. Antonio Smith, 45, and Heather Montgomery, 34, were convicted of two counts each of Sale and Delivery of Heroin in a Drug Free Zone. Smith was also convicted of Possession with Intent to Sell Heroin in a Drug Free Zone, Simple Possession of Marijuana, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, and Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Dangerous Felony. Because Smith has seven prior felony convictions, he is classified as a Career Offender and is facing a minimum of seventy-two years in prison. After the jury returned their verdict, Judge Steve Sword set the case for sentencing on August 12.

At trial, Assistant District Attorney TaKisha Fitzgerald explained to the jury that in December 2014, Knoxville Police Department Officer Robert Rose with the Repeat Offender Squad received information that Heather Montgomery was selling heroin in the Southmont Apartments in South Knoxville. On December 8, 2014, Ofc. Rose used a confidential informant to make a controlled purchase of two”points” of heroin from Montgomery for $90. A”point” of heroin is approximately one tenth of a gram. On January 6, 2015, Ofc. Rose again arranged a controlled buy from Montgomery, but during this transaction, Montgomery had to wait for her heroin supplier, Smith, to arrive. Once Smith arrived, Montgomery could complete the heroin sale to the confidential informant. Officers stopped Smith after he left the apartment complex and found him to be in possession of multiple bags of heroin, a Glock .45 caliber pistol, and some of the marked undercover funds used during the controlled purchase of heroin from Montgomery.

At sentencing, prosecutors will seek to have Smith classified as a Career Offender because he has seven prior felonies for Especially Aggravated Robbery, Robbery, Vandalism, and four convictions for Aggravated Assault. Because he is a Career Offender, Smith is facing a minimum of seventy-two years in prison with the first sixty-three years to be served without the possibility of parole. Additionally, prosecutors will show that Smith is a member of the Skyline Piru street gang, a subset of the Bloods street gang. With no prior felonies, Montgomery is facing a sentence between eight and twelve years on each count.

“As a gang member with so many prior violent convictions who continues to sell heroin on the streets of our community, Smith has earned every day of the sentence he will receive,” said DA Charme Allen.

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.