OOLTEWAH, Tenn. — An Ooltewah man, Joel Donald Brown, is facing serious charges after authorities say he cut down utility poles and sold miles of aluminum cable, causing more than $510,000 in damage.
According to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO), Brown was arrested after a traffic stop revealed a warrant for his involvement in what officials describe as one of the region’s largest infrastructure vandalism cases.
Between late 2024 and August 2025, investigators say Brown repeatedly trespassed onto Volunteer Ammunition property, where he allegedly cut down power poles and removed de-energized high-voltage aluminum cables.
Authorities discovered that Brown had sold over 41,000 feet (about 7 miles) of aluminum cable as scrap metal, collecting more than $412,000, according to sales receipts.
He now faces charges of:
Critical infrastructure vandalism
Theft
Aggravated criminal trespassing
The HCSO thanked members of the Chattanooga Fire Department and Public Works who helped track down Brown. Their support was described as instrumental in resolving the case.
Brown remains in custody as the investigation continues.
