'Groove' And 'Hot Boy' Sentenced For Drugs, Guns

NASHVILLE, TN -- A pair of Nashville men will each spend more than 20 years in federal prison for drug-dealing and gun crimes.

Michael "Groove" Bright, 27, and Emmanuel "Hot Boy" Thirkill, 36, were sentenced in U.S. District Court this week, the U.S. Attorney announced Tuesday.

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Bright was one of four people who robbed an Antioch convenience store in June 2015. Bright was the getaway driver while Dominique "DeuceFace" Wallace, Robert "YG" Brooks and Demontay Thomas robbed the store at gunpoint. During the robbery, Thomas crawled under the counter as Brooks went over the top. Brooks was then startled and began indiscriminately firing his pistol, striking Thomas and killing him. Wallace then shot the clerk in the head and he, Brooks and Bright fled the store. Wallace and Brooks have pleaded guilty and await sentencing, as well.

Later than month, Bright and Corin Porter forced employees at a McGavock Pike Jack In The Box into the restaurant's office area and robbed the safe. Porter has also pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.

Bright pleaded guilty December 12, 2017. He was sentenced to 23 years in prison.

Thirkill was sentenced to 21 years and 10 months in prison after pleading guilty in October to guns and drug charges.

Thirkill began receiving a weekly supply of cocaine to deal at the public housing development after his release from state prison in May 2016. He would hide the coke in his home near Thomas Edison Elementary School in Antioch and transport it to Sudekum as needed.

On December 6, 2016, Metro Police officers attempted to stop Thirkill as he was leaving his home, but he fled and temporarily eluded capture. AA search warrant was subsequently obtained and executed at Thirkill's home and officers found five ounces of cocaine, $15,000 cash and a loaded Glock 9-millimeter pistol, which was later determined to have been stolen during a 2013 Sumner County burglary. MNPD officers located and arrested Thirkill the following day at a West Nashville motel in West Nashville. "Hot Boy" admitted the gun and cocaine was his and it was then he told officers he thought federal authorities were only focusing on "gang bangers and murderers" and thus believed he could continue selling drugs in the area without consequence.

Photos via Metro Nashville Police