Truck Driver Allegedly Swapped $110K Chicken Shipment to Settle Drug Debt
Truck driver accused of trading $110,000 chicken load to settle drug debt
A Memphis police investigation that began with a search for a fugitive led to the arrest of a truck driver and 11 other people in connection with the alleged diversion of a commercial shipment of frozen chicken.
According to a Memphis Police Department affidavit, driver Robert Wilson told investigators he had agreed to turn over the load to settle a drug debt. Police interrupted the reported exchange Sept. 15 behind an Economy Inn at 3896 Lamar Avenue, where several people were allegedly moving frozen chicken from Wilson’s semitrailer into multiple vehicles.
The shipment, assigned to Wilson by Armada Freight, originated in Morton, Mississippi, and was scheduled for delivery in Swedesboro, New Jersey. Koch Foods valued the cargo at approximately $110,000, according to police and carrier information.
Wilson was operating as an independent contractor under Armada’s authority. The company told FreightWaves that it had assigned him to transport the Koch Foods shipment and that he did not have permission to distribute any of the merchandise.
Fugitive search leads to cargo discovery
Memphis police officers arrived at the Lamar Avenue property at about 9 a.m. while looking for Javunte Johnson on an aggravated robbery warrant unrelated to the chicken shipment. Detectives said they saw several people transferring boxes from a white tractor-trailer into multiple vehicles.
Several people reportedly ran after noticing police, according to court documents. An officer observed Johnson move from a blue SUV toward a maroon Cadillac and crouch behind one of the vehicle’s tires before attempting to flee. Investigators detained him and found a Glock 42 near the vehicle, according to the affidavit.
The filing identifies Johnson as wearing an orange shirt. It does not explicitly identify him as the person Wilson allegedly owed money to. Wilson told police he owed a drug debt to an orange-shirted man who was driving a blue SUV and said he was “trading his load to pay off a drug debt,” the affidavit states.
Detectives later found Wilson inside the tractor-trailer and arrested him. He faces charges of theft involving property valued between $60,000 and $250,000, as well as evading arrest in a vehicle.
Chicken recovered from three vehicles
Police said Quantrivious Shavers ran toward the blue SUV and threw a handgun and marijuana inside. Officers later found two pills in a folded dollar bill in his pocket. A presumptive reagent test identified the substance as fentanyl, according to the complaint. Investigators also recovered 30 cases of frozen chicken from the SUV.
Marcellous McKinney allegedly attempted to leave the property in a 2009 Nissan Armada after detectives activated their emergency lights and siren. Officers stopped the vehicle and found 50 boxes of frozen chicken inside. Investigators said those packages matched merchandise removed from Wilson’s trailer.
Another affidavit connected Robert Dishmon to a 2009 Cadillac DTS. Dishmon told investigators the vehicle belonged to him, and police found 41 boxes of chicken inside. In total, court records describe 121 recovered boxes or cases across the three vehicles.
Police also recovered three firearms during the investigation and filed multiple drug-related charges. Memphis police announced charges against 12 people. The U.S. Marshals Service separately referred to 13 arrests, although the agencies have not publicly identified the additional person reflected in that total.
Charges remain allegations
In addition to Wilson, Johnson faces charges of aggravated robbery, high-value theft and possession of a handgun as a convicted felon. Shavers faces charges of high-value theft, possession of a handgun as a convicted felon, and fentanyl possession with intent to sell.
Samuel Jackson was charged with high-value theft and cocaine possession with intent to sell. John Shipp, Rico Jackson, Devean Hoyle, Trashawn Featherson and Robert Dishmon face theft charges involving property valued between $60,000 and $250,000.
McKinney faces high-value theft and evading arrest in a vehicle. Jessie Moore was charged with possession of a handgun as a convicted felon and evading officers on foot. Alexis Pike faces charges of evading officers on foot and two theft counts involving property valued at less than $1,000.
All of the charges are accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless prosecutors prove them guilty in court.
Carrier ends driver relationship
Armada said it immediately terminated its contracting relationship with Wilson after learning about the incident. The company recovered its tractor and trailer and disposed of the remaining cargo after police discovered the equipment at the hotel.
Armada also filed a claim and contacted the shipment’s broker and insurance provider. The carrier said it uses GPS tracking and electronic logging devices to monitor its equipment and driver activity and pledged to cooperate with law enforcement and other investigators.
For professional drivers and carriers, the case illustrates the financial and operational exposure created when a legitimate load is diverted by someone authorized to move it. It also underscores the importance of shipment tracking, route monitoring, inventory controls and prompt investigation of unexpected stops or delivery exceptions, particularly when transporting high-value refrigerated freight.
