GREENEVILLE, TENN. — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)), published as received.

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On October 29, 2026, Christian Aaron Atkins, 36, of Grainger County, TN was sentenced to 113 months imprisonment by United States District Judge, the Honorable Clifton L. Corker, in the United States District Court at Greeneville.  Following his imprisonment, Atkins will be on supervised release for five years.

Earlier this year, Atkin’s four co-conspirators, Tonya Renee Valentine, 44, Karen E. Carpenter, 48, Donald Eugene Roberts, 48, and Jacob Adam Parkey, 41, also of Grainger County, were sentenced by Judge Corker.  Following their terms of imprisonment, all co-conspirators will be on supervised release for five years.

Each co-conspirators signed plea agreements and pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846, 841(a)(1), and 841(b)(1)(A).

According to plea agreements filed in the case, the Bean Station Police Department, in coordination with the Federal Bureau of Investigation High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (FBI HIDTA), conducted a lengthy and targeted narcotics investigation involving multiple individuals engaged in the distribution of methamphetamine in the region. Throughout the course of the investigation, agents seized approximately 1,200 grams of methamphetamine and executed three separate search warrants, which resulted in the additional seizure of approximately 2 pounds of methamphetamine. Agents also seized $4,864.00 in U.S. currency believed to be proceeds of illegal narcotics distribution.

  • On June 3, 2026, Valentine was sentenced to 180 months imprisonment.
  • On June 25, 2026, Roberts was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment.
  • On August 12, 2026, Carpenter was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment.
  • On August 19, 2026, Parkey was sentenced to 126 months imprisonment.

U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee, and Special Agent in Charge Terrence G. Riley, of the Nashville Field Office’s Knoxville Resident Agency, made the announcement. 

The case was the result of an investigation by the Bean Station Police Department and the FBI HIDTA Task Force. 

Assistant United States Attorney Andrew C. Parker represented the United States in this case.

This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion.  The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad.  Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders.  In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children.  The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.

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