Source: Office of United States Attorneys
NASHVILLE – Three Nashville men, all of whom have previous convictions for either violent crimes or drug felonies, were recently charged with federal firearms offenses, two of the men were additionally charged with drug offenses, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Robert E. McGuire. Carlos J. Rodriguez, 27, was charged on January 24 with being a felon in possession of a firearm; George Charles Carter, III, 48, was charged on January 24 with being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances; and Keontis Jenkins, 28, was charged on January 27 with being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances,
“We are ramping up our efforts to protect our community from those who would illegally possess guns and those who would sell drugs,” said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “These three arrests in the span of just a few days should put violent criminals on notice that if you break the law, we will hold you accountable in federal court—especially if you possess dangerous drugs like fentanyl and dangerous items like Glock switches. If we find evidence to support a federal charge, we are not going to wait. We are going to act.”
Rodriguez
According to court documents, on September 25, 2024, law enforcement conducted a surveillance operation in the area of a bar on Charlotte Pike in Nashville. While conducting surveillance, agents saw Rodriguez exit the bar and conduct what appeared to be hand-to-hand narcotics transactions in the parking lot. After agents stopped Rodriguez, he told them that he was on probation out of Rutherford County for selling narcotics. A search of Rodriguez’s car yielded over $500, 9mm cartridge cases, three cell phones, and handwritten ledgers and notes that appeared to document narcotics sales. Rodriguez was arrested on a state offense and was released.
On January 17, 2025, ATF Agents were notified that Rodriguez was arrested for driving with an expired license. Agents asked Rodriguez about his arrest on September 25, 2024, and Rodriguez acknowledged that he possessed the ammunition was recovered from his car and that he knew he was a convicted felon who could not possess ammunition. At the time Rodriguez possessed the ammunition, he was a prohibited person, having previously been convicted in Rutherford County of a felony drug offense.
Carter
On January 19, 2025, at approximately 3:20 a.m., Metro Nashville Police officers began investigating an armed robbery attempt that resulted in a shooting. When officers arrived on scene, they found a victim with multiple gunshot wounds to his upper left arm and a single gunshot wound to his upper right arm. The shooting was captured on Metropolitan House and Development Agency cameras near the J.C. Napier Housing Development. On the video, officers observed a person, later determined to be Carter, making movements consistent with pointing a weapon. Officers also recovered multiple shell casings from the area where Carter could be seen standing on the video.
The next day, MNPD detectives observed a silver Dodge Avenger which matched the description of a suspect vehicle involved in the shooting the night before. The driver appeared to be conducting hand-to-hand narcotics transactions out the driver’s window. When officers attempted to stop the car, the Avenger’s driver, later identified as Carter, fled from officers, almost striking another vehicle. Carter drove at high rates of speed, drove into oncoming traffic, ran red lights, and almost caused multiple accidents. After he was arrested, Carter admitted throwing a bag of narcotics out of the car next to Margaret Allen Middle School on Spence Lane. Detectives later retrieved a bag which contained approximately 18.5 grams of cocaine, 5.2 grams of methamphetamine, a digital scale, and multiple baggies.
Carter eventually came to a stop in the area of Thompson Lane in Nashville and was taken into custody. Carter admitted that he fled from officers, that he had thrown a bag out the window which contained the drugs that were later recovered by detectives, and that he had a bag of crack cocaine, also known as cocaine base, inside his pants. Detectives recovered this bag during the interview. The bag weighed approximately 40.6 grams. A check through law enforcement databases revealed that Carter has multiple felony convictions in Tennessee including Aggravated Assault and Simple Possession with Priors in Davidson County.
Jenkins
On January 14, 2025, Metropolitan Nashville Police Detectives arrested Jenkins on outstanding warrants for attempted homicide. A search of Jenkins’ person led to the discovery of an oxycodone pill and a search of the vehicle Jenkins was driving resulted in the recovery of a Glock pistol from the rear passenger’s side floorboard, with an affixed machine gun conversion device (MCD). Later that day, MNPD detectives executed a search warrant on Jenkins’ residence, which resulted in the discovery of two additional firearms, a Glock model 17 9mm pistol and a Glock model 19 9mm pistol, along with three bags of M30 pills (approximately two hundred pressed suspected fentanyl pills), Xanax bars, hydrocodone, marijuana, baggies, scales, U.S. currency, and a money counter.
MNPD detectives interviewed Jenkins who admitted selling marijuana, fentanyl, and Xanax. Jenkins also admitted that he carries a firearm to protect himself during narcotics sales and that he had shot one of his customers in a drug deal gone wrong. Jenkins has multiple prior felony convictions in Tennessee, including Reckless Endangerment with a Deadly Weapon and Contraband in a Penal Facility in Madison County. Jenkins admitted he knew he was a felon and was prohibited from possessing firearms.
These cases are being investigated by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel M. Stephens is prosecuting the cases.
A complaint is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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