Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – September 30, 2014 – Brice N. Marchbanks, 32, of Nashville, Tennessee, was found guilty yesterday by a federal jury of multiple drug trafficking and firearms offenses, announced David Rivera, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee.  After a week-long trial, the jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts, including drug conspiracy, maintaining a drug house, possessing firearms in furtherance of drug crimes and distributing drugs to a 14 year-old. 

United States Attorney David Rivera stated, “Drugs, guns, and kids are a toxic combination.  The proof showed that Marchbanks, as a 27 year-old man, was distributing drugs to 14 year old kids and using them as armed guards in a drug house.  In return, Marchbanks provided them with marijuana to smoke and offered them $100 to murder another gang member.  We will seek an appropriate sentence for the conduct of the defendant.”
 
Marchbanks’ drug operation was uncovered as part of a lengthy investigation into various Rollin’ 60 Crips gang members who were committing armed robberies of suspected drug dealers under the belief that such violent crime would not be investigated fully and that the targeted victims would not cooperate with law enforcement.  Marchbanks is the final defendant to be tried in a case which began in 2009 and involved more than 30 defendants who were charged with drug crimes, firearms and other offenses as part of the investigation.  All of the defendants in this case have now been convicted, including more than five gang members who held the status of “OG” (“Original Gangsta”), the highest rank available in Tennessee.
 
According to the proof at trial, Marchbanks was the target of such a robbery by other gang members and was in fact shot during that robbery.  When questioned by police, Marchbanks falsely claimed that the robbery was not drug-related.  The investigation, however, showed that Marchbanks was running a drug house in the Creekwood Drive area of Nashville 
and was using armed minors to guard the house. 
 
The trial also included proof that Marchbanks wrongly suspected another Rollin’ 60 Crips gang member of having participated in that robbery, and solicited the murder of that person.  A 15 year- old and a person who is still unidentified then shot the gang member whom they suspected.  The wounded gang member survived and the investigation determined that he was not involved in the robbery of Marchbanks.  The three people involved in the actual robbery of Marchbanks have been convicted and are also in custody.
 
Marchbanks faces up to life in prison when he is sentenced on January 14, 2015.
 
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, the ATF and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorneys Sunny A.M. Koshy and Louis Crisostomo prosecuted the jury trial,

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