THE ALLEGED LEADER OF A CRACK COCAINE RING ACCUSED OF DISTRIBUTING THE ILLEGAL DRUG IN THE BRISTOL REGION HAS ADMITTED TO THE CRIME IN U.S. DISTRICT COURT IN ABINGDON, VIRGINIA. 34 YEAR OLD DERRICK LAMONT EVANS, AKA “SHANK,” OF GRAY TENNESSEE PLED GUILTY TO ONE COUNT OF CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE AND POSSESS WITH THE INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE 50 OR MORE GRAMS OF COCAINE. EVANS AND 50 CO-DEFENDANTS WERE INDICTED IN MAY 2008 IN A TWELVE COUNT INDICTMENT ALLEGING MULTIPLE VIOLATIONS OF THE FEDERAL NARCOTICS AND GUN LAWS THAT OCCURRED BETWEEN JANUARY 2003 AND APRIL 2008. THE DRUG-TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION HAD BEEN OPERATING IN THE AREA FROM SULLIVAN COUNTY TENNESSEE TO WASHINGTON AND RUSSELL COUNTIES IN VIRGINIA AND WAS ORGANIZED BY THE MEMBERS OF KANTSTOP RECORDS BASED IN BURLINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA. EVANS FACES A MAXIMUM SENTENCE OF LIFE IN PRISON AND/OR A FINE OF UP TO 8-MILLION DOLLARS WHEN HE’S SENTENCED.