Pubdate: Fri, 16 Nov 2001 Source: Knoxville News-Sentinel (TN) Copyright: 2001 The Knoxville News-Sentinel Co. Contact: http://www.knoxnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/226 Author: Randy Kenner, News-Sentinel staff writer Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine) MAN ENTERS GUILTY PLEAS ON DRUG, ASSAULT CHARGES Travis D. Gipson was very open, an officer wrote, about what he was doing when he was arrested on a drug possession charge last year. "I'm just trying to make my court costs by selling crack," Gipson told Knoxville police officer Derek H. Weller, according to court papers. Weller's description of the May 15, 2000, arrest also states that Gipson repeated the statement later, telling Weller he was "selling crack to pay for $1,211 (in) court costs by June 6, 2000, so he would not be arrested." On Thursday Gipson, now 18, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to resell it before pleading guilty to an unrelated aggravated assault count stemming from a drive-by shooting on July 18, 2000. Gipson's brother, Antonio C. Gipson, who was driving the car, also pleaded guilty in that incident to facilitation of aggravated assault. They were originally charged with four counts of attempted murder but entered pleas to the lesser offenses before Knox County Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner. Both will seek probation at a Dec. 18 sentencing hearing. According to records and statements made in court by Assistant Knox County District Attorney General Scott Green, Travis Gipson's drug charge stemmed from a traffic stop during which officers saw him place a small bag containing crack between the seats of his car. Green said the July shooting incident was triggered when Travis and Antonio Gipson drove by a group gathered on East Fifth Avenue. Words were exchanged and gang signs flashed, and Travis Gipson responded by firing several shots. No one was hit, Green said. Travis Gipson received six years on the assault count and eight years on the drug count. Antonio Gipson, jailed since last summer on another charge, faces a two-year sentence. Baumgartner released him Thursday because he has a job lined up. Randy Kenner may be reached at 865-342-6305 or --- MAP posted-by: Jackl