A former FedEx delivery driver has pleaded guilty after authorities found hundreds of dumped packages in Blount County just before Thanksgiving 2021.

Deandre Rayshaun Charleston, now 24, was charged with five counts of cargo theft.

He pleaded guilty this month to one count of fourth-degree theft of property.

The other four charges against him are being dismissed upon payment of court-ordered of fines totaling $655, court records show.

Charleston received a one-year suspended sentence with two years of unsupervised probation.

“We are very pleased that the D.A.’s Office in Blount County considered all the evidence and, more importantly, the circumstances of Deandre’s life and his personal situation,’’ said Charleston’s attorney, Brett Bloomston.

“Since this incident, Deandre has proved through his actions that he was deserving of a non-custody sentence,’’ Bloomston said. “He is a fantastic young man with a bright future.”

The discovery was made in late November 2021.

Sheriff Mark Moon at the time said some 300 to 400 boxes of assorted sizes were found Nov. 24 in a ravine off River Oak Trail on private property near Hayden.

About 247 packages valued at $25,000 were unidentifiable or unable to be scanned by FedEx to determine a victim.

About $15,000 of the packages were able to be matched with a victim, the sheriff said. Affected customers were from Blount County and beyond.

Among the boxes, according to Moon, were pet items, children’s toys, food, Beanie Babies, and other collectibles.

Charleston told investigators he was distraught over a death in his family and other issues.

“It appeared that he was very sorrowful for what he’d done and just admitted he was having some hard times in his life and just made poor choices,” Moon told a news conference, adding that Charleston was “respectful” and “cooperative” with investigators who interviewed him.