A Bristol, Virginia man, identified as Charles Nile Mixon, has been handed a prison term surpassing three decades for a series of crimes, including a violent carjacking and various firearm offenses. The sentencing, pronounced on Wednesday, by U.S. District Judge Clifton L. Corker, will place Mixon behind bars for 377 months. The sentence will be followed by five years of supervised release.
Details regarding the trial and subsequent conviction of Mixon emerged from court documents and testimony. Mixon, 49, was found guilty on October 30, 2024, by a jury for carjacking, using and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, as well as possession of a stolen firearm. The jury took note, making a special finding that Mixon had been convicted of at least three qualifying violent crimes previously, designating him as an armed career criminal, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The incident that led to Mixon's arrest occurred in the early hours of May 24, 2023, when he carjacked a woman at gunpoint in the parking lot of a Taco Bell in Bristol, Tennessee. He temporarily held the victim at gunpoint inside her vehicle before fleeing the scene. A cross-state police chase ensued, with Mixon eventually ditching the vehicle in Virginia. He was taken into custody following another pursuit, with the stolen firearm being found on his person.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III, in a statement obtained by the U.S. Attorney's Office, conveyed the severity of the punishment, "The sentence imposed is a powerful reminder that violent offenses, such as this carjacking, will not be tolerated." Hamilton's stance is clear: habitual offenders who repeatedly engage in violent acts pose a significant threat to public safety. In a similar vein, Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz of the Nashville Division of the ATF emphasized the commitment to combatting violent crime and ensuring community safety, saying, "The ATF remains committed to working tirelessly with our local, state, and federal partners to combat violent crime, and protect the communities that we serve."
The case against Mixon was a joint effort between the Bristol Tennessee Police Department and the ATF. The prosecution, led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys B. Todd Martin and Emily Swecker, is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative focused on addressing illegal immigration, cartels, and transnational criminal organizations, while also aiming to protect communities from violent crime.
