Memphis authorities rolled up to the Economy Inn on Lamar Avenue looking for one man wanted on an aggravated robbery warrant. What they found instead was a full crew unloading pallets of chicken from an 18-wheeler parked behind the motel.
On the morning of September 15, 2026, members of the Memphis Safe Task Force arrived at the Economy Inn in the 3800 block of Lamar Avenue to arrest Javunte Johnson, 33. According to the U.S. Marshals Service, officers located Johnson “along with 12 other individuals, unloading stolen pallets of chicken, valued at $250,000, from an 18-wheeler.” The group scattered on foot and by vehicle. All were eventually taken into custody.
The U.S. Marshals Service confirmed 13 people were arrested at the scene. Memphis Police Department records list 12 named adults and their charges. The difference appears tied to one juvenile included in the broader task-force count that day.
Three handguns were seized, along with fentanyl, cocaine, and about $110,000 worth of other stolen goods. However, the $250,000 amount applies only to the stolen chickens. The $110,000 amount applies to other items that were recovered.
Truck driver Robert Wilson, 56, was among those arrested. Investigators say Wilson told them he was handing over the commercial load to settle a drug debt he owed to one of the men present. Authorities later confirmed with his employer and the shipping company that the cargo had been stolen. Wilson faces charges of theft of property valued between $60,000 and $250,000 and evading arrest by vehicle. That account remains an allegation under investigation.
Javunte Johnson faces aggravated robbery, theft of property ($60,000–$250,000), and convicted felon in possession of a handgun. Bond was reported at $280,000. Quantrivious Shavers, 25, faces theft, felon in possession, and possession of fentanyl with intent to sell. Jessie Moore, 37, faces felon in possession and evading arrest. Samuel Jackson, 38, faces theft and cocaine possession with intent. Others, including John Shipp, Rico Jackson, Devean Hoyle, Trashawn Featherson, Robert Dishmon, Marcellous McKinney, and Alexis Pike, face primarily high-value theft or lower-level charges. All remain allegations; none have been convicted in this case.
Viral posts described “$250,000 worth of stolen fried chicken.” Official releases from the U.S. Marshals Service and Memphis Police refer only to “stolen pallets of chicken” or commercial poultry. No source describes the load as cooked or fried.
This seizure was part of an extensive Memphis Safe Task Force operation that day resulting in 49 total arrests. This chicken theft was not a planned sting operation, but an opportune seizure that came about during a warrant service.
