Welcome to Arrest Stories. An Ooltewah man faces charges after allegedly stealing over seven miles of high-voltage cables from critical infrastructure, causing more than half a million dollars in damage to Hamilton County's electric grid. Here's what may have happened.
Joel Donald Brown was arrested during a routine traffic stop on August thirty-first, twenty twenty-five at approximately two in the morning after a warrant was issued in connection with what authorities are calling one of the most extensive infrastructure vandalism cases in the region.
According to official reports, Brown allegedly conducted a months-long campaign of theft and destruction at the Volunteer Ammunition property in Hamilton County. Between late twenty twenty-four and August twenty twenty-five, investigators say Brown repeatedly trespassed onto the secured facility where he systematically dismantled critical electric grid components.
The scope of the alleged crime is staggering. Brown is accused of cutting down power poles and removing over forty-one thousand feet of de-energized high-voltage aluminum cables - equivalent to approximately seven point seven miles of infrastructure. Authorities discovered receipts showing Brown allegedly sold this stolen material as scrap, with the cables valued at more than four hundred twelve thousand dollars.
The total damage caused to the electric grid infrastructure exceeded five hundred ten thousand dollars, making this case particularly significant for Hamilton County residents. Officials emphasized the broader implications, stating this represents bringing closure to "one of the largest cases of critical infrastructure vandalism and theft of electric grid components in our region."
Authorities noted the collaborative effort required to solve this case, specifically acknowledging the Chattanooga Fire Department Deputy Chief of Operations Rick Boatwright and Chattanooga Public Works Engineering Coordinator Clay Oliver "for their vigilance and assistance, which were instrumental in bringing this case to a successful resolution."
Officials stressed the financial impact on the community, noting "Without intervention, these losses could have ultimately been borne by Hamilton County taxpayers if the materials required full replacement."
Brown faces charges of critical infrastructure vandalism and aggravated criminal trespassing.
All suspects presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Do not take this report as factual, always verify facts. Thanks for watching Arrest Stories.
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