Traffic stop leads to arrest in major electric grid vandalism case
HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) — A traffic stop helped close a major investigation into critical infrastructure vandalism and theft in our region.
On August 31, 2025, at 2:00 a.m., HCSO deputies arrested Joel Donald Brown during the stop.
Brown was wanted in connection to widespread damage and theft involving local electric grid components.
According to the HCSO, between 2024 and 2025, Brown trespassed onto the Volunteer Ammunition property and caused extensive damage by cutting down power poles and removing de-energized high-voltage aluminum cables.
The damage Brown caused was over $510,000.
Brown later sold over 41,000 feet (7.7 miles) of these cables as scrap, which is valued at more than $412,000.
He’s being charged with the following:
- Critical Infrastructure Vandalism
- Theft
- Aggravated Criminal Trespassing
Brown was also served with the following unrelated warrants:
- Domestic Assault
- False Imprisonment
