Knoxville, Tenn. — A Crips gang member who robbed four teenagers at gun-point in 2016 was sentenced to twenty years on Tuesday.
Dashun Shackleford, 19, was convicted in June on four counts of aggravated robbery. The jury found that Shackleford was a member of the Crips street gang.
During his trial, prosecutors explained how Shackleford robbed the teenagers. According to the District Attorney's office, Shackleford pulled a gun on the teens and demanded their property while they were playing basketball on Sept. 24, 2016.
Shackleford and his co-defendant in the trial took cell phones, wallets, backpacks, a speaker and shoes from the victims. One of the victims saw Shackleford the next day and notified the Knoxville Police Department.
KPD found him in possession of a gun and some of the victims' stolen property.
District Attorney Charme Allen praised the residents of Mechanicsville, which is a neighborhood northwest of downtown Knoxville, for their role in solving the crime.
“This crime was solved because the residents of Mechanicsville came forward to report this offense and protect their community from gang violence,” Allen said.
The DA's office said that because of the nature of the crime, Shackleford will not have possibility of parole.
