OldMan Zeke
2009-03-20 00:39:27 UTC
PARROTSVILLE (WATE) -- Marvin "Popcorn" Sutton, who gained fame
and notoriety as a moonshiner, died Monday in Cocke County,
sheriff*s deputies said.
According to a Cocke County Sheriff*s Office spokesperson, it appeared
that Sutton, 61, took his own life.
A Cocke County constable told 6 News his body was discovered in his
vehicle by his wife. He*s believed to have died from carbon
monoxide poisoning
Sutton was scheduled to begin serving soon an 18-month sentence in
federal prison Friday.
He pleaded guilty in March 2008 to one count of felony possession of
a firearm and one count of unlawful production of distilled spirits.
In a raid of three of Sutton*s properties, officers found three
stills and more than 800 gallons of moonshine being stored in an
old school bus.
A later investigation turned up nearly 800 more gallons of
moonshine.
Federal agents said it was the largest moonshine operation they had
seen.
Sutton built a reputation as an unrepentant moonshiner, even appearing
in documentaries on the subject. He also wrote an autobiography
called "Me and my Likker."
At Sagebrush Restaurant in Newport, 6 News spoke to friends and
acquaintances of Sutton.
"He was a pretty good old guy. He was just a little old short man with a
long beard and wears a hat like Jed Clampett," said Jared Freeman.
"The culture of the Smoky Mountains, the culture and heritage, I felt
like he embodied that," said Jason Smith.
"He was a great guy. A great individual to know," said Shannon Parks.
"He believed in what he did. He thought what he did was right. A lot of
people felt it was a waste of the federal government*s money to go after
him because he didn*t hurt nobody," said Lynn Human.
"He was a legend of Cocke County, North Carolina and East Tennessee. As
far as the future goes, I don*t think there will be another Popcorn,"
Smith said.
"He was the best. It*s the end of an era," Human said.
"Oh, he*s in heaven right now making moonshine for eternity," Parks
said.
and notoriety as a moonshiner, died Monday in Cocke County,
sheriff*s deputies said.
According to a Cocke County Sheriff*s Office spokesperson, it appeared
that Sutton, 61, took his own life.
A Cocke County constable told 6 News his body was discovered in his
vehicle by his wife. He*s believed to have died from carbon
monoxide poisoning
Sutton was scheduled to begin serving soon an 18-month sentence in
federal prison Friday.
He pleaded guilty in March 2008 to one count of felony possession of
a firearm and one count of unlawful production of distilled spirits.
In a raid of three of Sutton*s properties, officers found three
stills and more than 800 gallons of moonshine being stored in an
old school bus.
A later investigation turned up nearly 800 more gallons of
moonshine.
Federal agents said it was the largest moonshine operation they had
seen.
Sutton built a reputation as an unrepentant moonshiner, even appearing
in documentaries on the subject. He also wrote an autobiography
called "Me and my Likker."
At Sagebrush Restaurant in Newport, 6 News spoke to friends and
acquaintances of Sutton.
"He was a pretty good old guy. He was just a little old short man with a
long beard and wears a hat like Jed Clampett," said Jared Freeman.
"The culture of the Smoky Mountains, the culture and heritage, I felt
like he embodied that," said Jason Smith.
"He was a great guy. A great individual to know," said Shannon Parks.
"He believed in what he did. He thought what he did was right. A lot of
people felt it was a waste of the federal government*s money to go after
him because he didn*t hurt nobody," said Lynn Human.
"He was a legend of Cocke County, North Carolina and East Tennessee. As
far as the future goes, I don*t think there will be another Popcorn,"
Smith said.
"He was the best. It*s the end of an era," Human said.
"Oh, he*s in heaven right now making moonshine for eternity," Parks
said.