A Georgia man charged last month with trying to trade meth to an undercover officer for a gun to use to kill his ex-wife has been indicted in federal court on drug and firearms charges.
Charles Henry Skibbe, 56, is charged in a three-count U.S. District Court indictment accusing him of distributing a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, federal court records show.
Charles Henry SkibbeHe has an initial appearance set April 19 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher H. Steger. His state charges, which were nearly identical to his federal charges, have been dropped, 12th Judicial District Assistant District Attorney Steve Strain said Tuesday.
Skibbe, of Catoosa County, Georgia, was initially arrested by Dunlap, Tennessee, police after a drug investigation led to a discussion about trading drugs for a weapon. Last month, Dunlap Police Department Chief Clint Huth said Skibbe was suspected of distributing meth in the Dunlap area. During the investigation, Huth said, authorities learned Skibbe, a convicted felon, also was trying to buy a handgun.
That discovery launched an undercover operation involving Dunlap police, the Sequatchie County Sheriff's Office, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Skibbe allegedly told an uncover officer "he wanted the weapon to murder his ex-wife and her friend," officials said. The undercover officer arranged to meet Skibbe in Dunlap so the suspect could purchase a .40-caliber pistol.
During their conversation, Skibbe allegedly showed the undercover officer about an eighth of an ounce of methamphetamine that he wanted to trade for the pistol, police said. Skibbe was taken into custody after he and the undercover officer made the exchange.
Skibbe has three known prior felony convictions: grand theft auto in Florida and convictions in Wisconsin on charges of second-degree reckless endangerment and being a felon in possession of a weapon, Huth said.
Sequatchie County Justice Center officials said Skibbe was released to federal custody.
Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569. Follow him on Twitter @BenBenton or at www.facebook.com/benbenton1.