NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Agricultural Crime Unit (ACU) has secured a guilty verdict in the 2024 intentional burning of a barn in Monroe County.

ACU Special Agent Clint Brookshire charged Charles Anthony Ellis, of Monroe County, with arson. Ellis was sentenced to 11 months and 29 days in the Monroe County Jail and ordered to enter an alcohol and drug rehabilitation program.

“Our agents are trained to investigate complex rural arson cases, from wildland fires to the targeted burning of agricultural structures like barns and hay storage sheds,” said ACU Special Agent in Charge Greg Whitehead. “That expertise ensures we can quickly determine cause, hold offenders accountable, and protect Tennessee’s farms, forests and rural communities.”

In September 2024, at the request of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Special Agent Clint Brookshire joined the investigation into a barn fire in Madisonville. Working collaboratively with local authorities and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the investigation determined the fire was deliberately set by a relative of the property owner following a family dispute, leading to Ellis’ arrest and conviction.

ACU special agents receive advanced wildfire-arson training, including FBI-supported instruction and extensive field experience, equipping them as the state’s primary experts in agricultural and wildland arson investigations.