Madison County, North Carolina – Three residents from Northeast Tennessee are facing serious criminal charges after authorities say a Facebook Marketplace firearm sale turned into an armed robbery in western North Carolina. The suspects were arrested a day later in Tennessee and are now awaiting extradition.
Incident Overview
According to law enforcement, the case began when a seller arranged to meet a potential buyer to sell a firearm through Facebook Marketplace. The meeting was scheduled to take place in Hot Springs, North Carolina, a small town in Madison County near the Tennessee border.
Instead of a routine transaction, police say the situation escalated into a violent crime. Investigators allege that one of the occupants in the buyer’s vehicle pointed a gun at the seller, forcing the victim into compliance and turning the planned sale into an armed robbery.
Timeline of Events
Authorities report that the alleged robbery occurred during the arranged meetup in Hot Springs. After the incident, the suspects fled the area and crossed back into Tennessee.
Within 24 hours, a coordinated effort between multiple Tennessee law enforcement agencies led to arrests in Hamblen County and the city of Morristown. Officials say the quick action was aided by information shared between North Carolina and Tennessee authorities.
Details From Police and Officials
Madison County officials identified the suspects as:
- Isaiah White, 31, of Morristown, Tennessee
- Hailey Jackson, 21, of Greeneville, Tennessee
- Gage Flora, 18, of Mooresburg, Tennessee
All three were taken into custody by Tennessee law enforcement and are currently being held while legal proceedings move forward…