Knox County, TN (KCSO / WOKI) – On 4/20, the 5th time was not the charm for a repeat narcotics trafficker in Knox County.
What began as a simple traffic stop quickly turned into a dangerous vehicle pursuit when Marquis Gilbert of Detroit, Michigan attempted to flee from Knox County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics detectives, putting innocent motorists and the public at risk. Gilbert, who has now been arrested five times by KCSO since 2022 for narcotics-related offenses and vehicle flight, initially stopped, but when detectives attempted to make contact and asked him to step from the vehicle, he put the vehicle in drive and fled.
During the pursuit, Gilbert attempted to discard narcotics from the vehicle before driving onto a dead-end road, where the chase came to an end. As a result of the investigation, detectives obtained and executed a search warrant at his residence, recovering 13 pounds of marijuana, approximately $20,000 in drug proceeds, two handguns, and 15 grams of suspected morphine pills. Gilbert is also currently on probation for his previous offenses.
KCSO officials say , “The Knox County Sheriff’s Office takes every narcotics trafficking case seriously, but when a repeat offender chooses to endanger the lives of our citizens in an effort to escape accountability, that danger only strengthens our resolve. Our detectives remain committed to protecting this community and holding offenders fully responsible for their actions.”
The Knox County Sheriff’s Office will continue to aggressively pursue narcotics traffickers who threaten the safety of our community.
