Jackson, TN- Anthony Ray Phoenix, 37, of Decatur County, has been sentenced to 100 months in federal prison for resisting arrest by a federal officer.
Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., United States Attorney, announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, in November of 2019, officers from the Tennessee Highway Patrol requested the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service in locating and apprehending Anthony Ray Phoenix on active warrants for fleeing from patrolmen.
Additionally, the Marshals determined Phoenix was wanted for a Tennessee State Probation violation, assault, and battery in Kentucky, resisting arrest in Texas, and a probation violation in Idaho. Phoenix was known to be affiliated with the Aryan Nation Gang as well.
On December 2, 2019, members of the United States Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force, along with local law enforcement and special agents of the Tennessee Department of Corrections, located Phoenix at a residence in Decatur County, Tennessee. Upon approach, Phoenix was observed in a white Ford Expedition parked outside of the residence.
Phoenix fled from law enforcement officers through the backyard, a barbed-wire fence, and down a road at a high rate of speed before turning around and heading back through the same backyard towards the residence.
Phoenix continued traveling at a high rate of speed, through another fence, into the original backyard and directly toward a Deputy U.S. Marshal and a Special Agent with the Tennessee Department of Corrections.
With a fence to the Deputies’ right and the residence behind, the Deputy Marshal had no way to escape and in fear for his safety, fired his weapon in the direction of the vehicle.
Phoenix was subsequently taken into custody; all parties were uninjured. While interviewed by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation special agents, Phoenix admitted knowing law enforcement officers were pursing him, as he attempted to evade arrest.
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