Man Sentenced for His Part in Drive-By

ANGELINA COUNTY — A Lufkin man facing a murder charge in connection with a 2010 drive-by shooting accepted a plea deal Thursday for six years in prison. Elton �June� Gibson, 20, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of conspiracy to commit aggravated assault in connection with the January 2010 shooting death of Joseph Cooper, 63. In addition to the six-year sentence, Gibson received five years for violating terms of his probation, stemming from a failure to stop and render aid charge in 2009.

Gibson was the last of three to face charges in Cooper�s death. His then girlfriend and co-defendant Kendall Thompson, 20, walked last month on a murder charge, while Johnx Greer, 20, was sentenced to 20 years in prison last week in a plea agreement for aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury.

Gibson was offered the deal in exchange for agreeing to testify against Thompson and Greer about the night Greer reportedly shot and killed Cooper.