In an extensive crackdown on drug trafficking in East Tennessee, members of the Pagan Motorcycle Gang have been indicted, with arrests underscoring the push against methamphetamine distribution in the region. According to WATE, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director David Rausch conveyed the severity of the gang's activities, stating, “Let me be clear, they are nothing more than a criminal organization made up of cowardly thugs.” Fourteen individuals are now facing felony drug distribution charges after an investigation pinpointed them in connection with widespread meth sales.

The inquiry began in December 2023, stemming from the 313 Initiative, designed to disrupt Detroit-linked drug supplies but later revealed Atlanta as a source for narcotics. As detailed in court, alongside Richard Carroll Baker, who is suspected to be the gang's leader, other affiliates like Deidre Hood and Courtney Lewis were apprehended, divulged in a report by WATE. These arrests were presented as a leap forward in safety, with Rausch highlighting the gang's preying on the vulnerable and praising the "outstanding work of the women and men in policing".

During a news conference, which included District Attorney General Charme Allen, it was emphasized that not all individuals charged were directly connected to the gang. Nonetheless, the TBI director described the organization in stark terms, reflected in his quote by WVLT: “They try to downplay their behavior by calling themselves a club,” Rausch said. “They are nothing more than a criminal organization made up of cowards and thugs.”

Rausch further mentioned in the WREG report that while several drugs were part of this investigation, methamphetamine was the preferred substance trafficked by the group. The bust closely follows a report by the Knox County Regional Forensic Center which identified meth as notably prevalent in drug-related overdoses in the region. According to WVLT, said Allen, there has been a marked decrease in overdose deaths from the same period last year, indicating some impact of law enforcement efforts on drug availability. Allen added that prospective further arrests could unfold as the investigation digs deeper.