Drug Deal Gone Wrong Leads to Murder Plot
On April 28, 2014, Kingsport Police Detectives arrested Raymond B. Mims, 54, a local businessman, and Bradley J. Hirst, 32, of Kentucky, after uncovering their involvement in a drug-related conspiracy to commit murder. Mims, owner of Check Cash Xpress locations on John B. Dennis Highway, Fort Henry Drive, and Lynn Garden Drive in Kingsport, had entrusted Hirst and a third individual (whose name is withheld) with $20,000 to purchase 50 pounds of marijuana in Houston, Texas, for distribution in Sullivan County.
The plan unraveled when the third individual, separated from Hirst during the trip while solely possessing the money, returned to Kingsport claiming he had been robbed. Hirst accused the individual of stealing the funds and informed Mims, prompting the two to conspire to kill the man, his wife, and their 8-year-old daughter as retribution. Kingsport Police intervened before the plot could be executed, initially charging Mims and Hirst with Conspiracy to Commit 1st Degree Murder and Criminal Conspiracy to Possess Over 10 Pounds of Marijuana for Resale. They were held in the Kingsport City Jail pending arraignment.
Guilty Pleas and Investigation Details
On Monday, prior to November 2, 2014, Mims and Hirst appeared in Sullivan County Criminal Court and pleaded guilty to reduced charges: Criminal Conspiracy to Possess More Than 10 Pounds of Marijuana for Sale or Delivery (a Class E felony) and two counts of Criminal Conspiracy to Commit Assault. The original murder conspiracy charges were dropped as part of the plea deal. Sentencing was scheduled for November 2, 2014, with the marijuana conspiracy charge carrying a potential penalty of up to two years imprisonment and a $1,000 fine.
According to Sullivan County Assistant District Attorney Gene Perrin, the third accomplice fled Kingsport fearing reprisal. A separate individual tipped off the Kingsport Police Department (KPD) about the potential threat to the accomplice and his family, including the possibility of a hired hit. KPD investigators monitored conversations where Mims demanded the victim recover his losses with cash or more marijuana, threatening that he “had a tail on him” and “would not leave Kingsport.” A drop location was arranged, but Mims backed out, attempting to contact Hirst, whose phone was already in KPD evidence. Over two hours, Mims made seven calls, leaving messages about the pickup and his suspicion of police surveillance.
“It’s well known within the drug business that drugs such as marijuana can be purchased at considerably lower prices on a wholesale level in Texas and brought back to Sullivan County, where they are then marked up and sold for much higher prices or broken down into smaller amounts with considerable profit.” – Gene Perrin, Sullivan County Assistant District Attorney
Acknowledgment
Acknowledgment: I’d like to thank Grok, an AI by xAI, for helping me draft and refine this article. The final edits and perspective are my own.
Sources: Kingsport Police Department, April 28, 2014; Kingsport Times News, prior to November 2, 2014.
