A Van Buren County man will serve eight years in prison after pleading guilty to stealing $60,000 worth of farm equipment from a Madison County farm.
Darrell L. Hillis stole a tractor and a bale wrapper from a barn in Jackson last February. The tractor was transported more than 700 miles to an auction company in Georgia before the farm owner discovered it on social media.
The investigation involved multiple agencies tracking the stolen property across state lines and utilizing drone technology to locate hidden items.
“This case came together thanks to our partnership with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, whose agents helped present the case to the grand jury and provided critical support through interviews and forensic data analysis,” Whitehead said.
The bale wrapper was discovered approximately 260 miles away in a wooded area on Hillis’ property, the press release said.
A Warren County Sheriff’s Office drone assisted law enforcement from Van Buren and Warren counties in locating the concealed equipment during the execution of an April 2025 search warrant, the press release said.
Agricultural Crime Unit Special Agent Cheshier Crihfield charged Hillis, leading to his guilty plea for a Class B felony theft of property valued between $60,000 and $250,000.
Hillis will serve his sentence in the custody of the Tennessee Department of Correction.
Both pieces of stolen farm equipment were successfully returned to the owner, the press release said.
