The U.S. Department of Justice Western District of Tennessee announced Friday that former Selmer, Tennessee Alderman Nickolas Atkins was sentenced to 4 years in federal prison for conspiring “to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine.” Atkins’ conviction was the result of a joint task-force investigation involving Timmy Jermaine Cole, who investigators found was trafficking large amounts of methamphetamine, marijuana, and cocaine from individuals in Mexico to West Tennessee.
According to information presented in court, Atkins worked in a drug distribution ring under Cole.
Stemming from an investigation begun in March 2018, agents used wiretaps to discover Atkins distributed a variety of illegal drugs through Cole’s restaurant, the Hungry Wolf. Atkins also ran a money-laundering operation out of the restaurant. Atkins would pay the bills for the location in exchange for narcotics.
From the wiretaps, surveillance, and witness statements, agents learned Atkins was responsible for 250 pounds of marijuana, 3 ounces of cocaine, over 600 pills containing hydrocodone, and 77 units of testosterone. He also sold hydrocodone pills out of Moody Auto Sales where he was employed. The statement noted, “During one of the intercepted calls between Atkins and Cole, Atkins told Cole that he had someone complain about the quality of marijuana.”
According to the Department of Justice, Atkins used his position in the community as Alderman to “obtain information from law enforcement and other members of the community to share with Cole in hiding his drug trafficking activity from law enforcement.” An example given in the statement was an intercepted call where a county clerk was attending a party at the Hungry Wolf, and Atkins and Cole discussed how she would be “a good person to know because ‘she would tip you off and tell you when they are getting ready to serve’.”
Other intercepted calls included the two discussing who were “Fed Agents,” and how they knew them.
One intercepted call included Atkins owing Cole for three “cuties.” The statement explained, “a ‘cutie’ is known to law enforcement as a quarter ounce of cocaine.”
Taskforce agents surveilled the Hungry Wolf on December 12, 2019, where “Atkins was intercepted telling Cole that he was being followed by a black Durango and that it was the drug task force.”
Atkins was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years supervised release. The statement noted there is no parole available in the federal system.
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Morgan Nicole Veysey is a reporter for The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow her on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Nickolas Atkins” by Nicky Atkins.
