Left to Right, Supervisory Special Agent Robert Mulhearn, NICB, Senior Special Agent Jimmy Carl Ball, NICB, Lt. Troy Everett, THP/CID, Sgt. James Sells, THP/CID, and J.D. Huff, committee member

On Friday November 11, 2011, Tennessee Highway Patrol Special Agent in Charge Stacy Williams received a call from Grundy County Detective James Cox. Cox reququesting their assitance on a search warrant at a residence outside Tracy City due to a large number of items on the property.

Fayetteville Police Lieutenant Joel Massey had received information that led officers to the location. A John Deere Gator was located in a garage and the Product Identification Number (PIN) had been removed. Sergeant Scott DIckson and Williams inspected the vehicle, contacted Senior Special Agent Juimmy Carl Ball with the NICB, and was able to determine it was an active theft from Mt. Juliet , Tennessee.

Near an outbuilding containing auto parts and horse tack, Williams found a tag that described the model and price of a Kubota mower matching the mower stoilen from Fayetteville, Tennessee.

During the search, Fayettevilleofficers found evidence linkinga vehicle and trailer to the theft from their city.  Dickson was able to identify a mowing machine as stolen from Rutherford County, Tennessee and also seized a utility trailer because the PVIN had been removed.

On Tuersday 15, 2011, Cox and Williams spoke with a cooperating witness (CW) about the equipment case. The information led to recovery of a stolen Zero Turn Mower and a John Deere Gator.

This information also led investigators to Fentress County where Lieutenant Troy Human was able to recover a stolen dozer and exavator.

Sherrif Brent Myers asked our division to take ouver the investigation due to the large number of items that would possibly be recovered and because the thefts had occurred within several different counties and states. Dickson was assigned to be the case agent and took over the investigation.

Over the next few weeks, Myers, Cox, Dickson, Human, Williams, and Ball were able to locate and recover more stolen equipment and conduct numerous interviews. The recoveries included, John Deere Gators and Zero Turn Mowers, Kubota Zero Turn Mowers and a Kubota farm tractor, Scag Zero Turn Mowers, several skid steers, backhoe, dozer, excavator, manure spreader and 10' bush hog.

Williams contacted Federal Bureau of Investigation Agent Paul Healy and briefied him on the case. Healy agreed to adopt the case and present it to Assistant United States Attorney, James Brooks for possible prosecution as an Interstate Transportation of Stolen Proerty (ITSP) case.