HENRY COUNTY, Tenn. (WZTV) — A Kentucky man must pay thousands of dollars after cutting down trees that didn’t belong to him.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Crime Unit says a Henry County property owner reported several white oak trees were cut and removed from his land without permission in January. An investigation found James Thomas Williams Jr., from Murray, Kentucky, intentionally entered the property and harvested the timber.
James Thomas Williams Jr., from Murray, Ky. pled guilty to aggravated trespassing stemming from a January 2026 incident where a Henry County property owner reported several white oak trees were cut and removed from his land without permission. (Photo: Tennessee Department of Agriculture)
A consulting forester determined about $18,000 worth of timber had been cut and removed from the property.
A special agent with the ACU obtained warrants charging Williams with theft of property over $10,000 and criminal trespass. The Henry County Sheriff’s Department brought Williams to Tennessee in February to face these charges.
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Williams pleaded guilty to aggravated trespassing on May 28 in Henry County General Sessions Court. As part of a plea agreement, he was ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution to the victim.
The ACU investigates agricultural-related crimes across Tennessee, including livestock theft, timber theft, equipment theft and crop theft. The unit consists of 10 special agents strategically located across the state, with each agent responsible for about nine to 12 counties.
The unit investigated 60 cases in June. To contact the Agricultural Crime Unit, call 844-242-7463 or email agriculture.crime@tn.gov.
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