Two Overton County men have been banned from Standing Stone State Forest and Standing Stone State Park after pleading guilty to stealing a black walnut tree from the state forest.
Commissioner Andy Holt said Derek Smith and Marvin Hall sentenced for theft of property valued at more than $1,000 after cutting down the tree and selling it to a regional sawmill. Holt said the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Crime Unit investigated the case alongside the Forestry Division and law enforcement partners.
“Protecting Tennessee’s natural resources takes cooperation and follow-through,” Holt said. “This case shows the value of our Agricultural Crime Unit working alongside our Forestry Division and law enforcement partners to investigate crimes and pursue accountability.”
Both men were ordered to pay $2,050 in restitution, while Hall received a $3,000 fine and Smith received a $1,000 fine.
Holt said the investigation began May 21, 2026, when the Forestry Division reported that a 55-foot-tall black walnut tree measuring 30 inches in diameter had been cut down. Holt said the tree initially appeared to have fallen in a direction that would make it difficult for the suspects to remove it from the forest.
Holt said investigators learned the tree had been taken on June 5, and a regional sawmill owner contacted authorities three days later to report purchasing the tree from Hall. Holt said the Agricultural Crime Unit worked with Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation park rangers to gather evidence before presenting the case to a grand jury on August 3, 2026.
Holt said the Agricultural Crime Unit investigated 49 cases involving agriculture, forestry, and related industries during October 2026.