Man pleads guilty to murder-, robbery-related charges in drug deal that ended in death

An Oak Ridge man has pleaded guilty to murder- and robbery-related charges in what police described as a marijuana deal that ended with one man dead.

Bronx Shavon Washington, who is now 22, pleaded guilty in Anderson County Criminal Court on Monday. He entered the guilty pleas on a reduced charge of facilitation to commit second-degree murder, a Class B felony, and a reduced charge of facilitation to commit aggravated robbery, a Class C felony. Washington received a total 14-year sentence on those two charges as well as a drug possession charge. He was the last of three defendants to plead guilty in the case.

Washington and two brothers, Brandon Javon Brooms, now 25, and James Stefan Brooms, now 27, had each been indicted in March 2012 on charges of first-degree murder and especially aggravated robbery in the death of Antonio “Tony” Phillips, 22.

Phillips died during a marijuana robbery on Villanova Road on August 8, 2011. Police said he was shot in the upper left leg in his bedroom in his Rolling Hills apartment during a struggle with Brandon Brooms, and he crawled to the living room, where he died.

Brandon Brooms, who was accused of fatally shooting Phillips, pleaded guilty to amended charges of second-degree murder and facilitation of especially aggravated robbery on July 31, 2015. He received a 25-year prison sentence. He must serve 17 years on the murder charge, and he could be eligible for parole after serving 30 percent of the eight-year robbery sentence, which must be served consecutive to the murder charge.

James Brooms was the first to plead guilty. He pleaded guilty to amended charges of facilitation to commit second-degree murder and attempted aggravated robbery on September 4, 2013. He received a 12-year and six-year sentence on those two charges, and they can be served concurrently. He could be eligible for parole after serving 30 percent of the sentences.

Washington was 17 at the time of the shooting, but he was charged as an adult.

His 12-year sentence on the murder-related charge and the six-year sentence on the robbery-related charge will be served concurrently. As a standard offender, Washington could be eligible for parole after serving 30 percent of the sentences.

But his two-year sentence on the drug possession charge must be served consecutive to his sentences on the other two charges.

Washington’s drug possession charge was for having what police said was 14.175 grams of marijuana on April 8, 2014.

An affidavit filed August 12, 2011, by investigator Jock Coleman of the Oak Ridge Police Department said Brandon Brooms, Washington, and Phillips were engaged in a drug deal in Phillips’ bedroom at 223 Villanova Road in August 2011. Jacoby Breeden, Phillips’ roommate, told police he heard a semi-automatic handgun being cocked in Phillips’ bedroom and also heard the start of a struggle.

Breeden witnessed Brandon Brooms struggling with Phillips, according to the affidavit. Washington was also in the room, and Breeden “engaged in a physical altercation” with Washington in order to protect Phillips, Coleman wrote.

“At the time, the victim was shot by Brandon Brooms in the upper left leg,” Coleman said. “The victim at this point crawled to the living room area, followed by the defendant, Brandon Brooms. The victim died in the living room.”

Brooms returned to Phillips’ bedroom, where he stole an unknown amount of marijuana, the affidavit said.

Officials said Washington was shot in the hand during the struggle with the apartment residents, and they believe he was shot by one of the Brooms brothers who was trying to shoot a resident fighting with Washington.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

See previous story here.

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