From The Bell County Sheriff's Department -
Bell County Deputy Edward Dray III arrested a Frakes man for cutting down trees on property that did not belong to him.
56 year old Jerome Baker of Frakes, Kentucky, has been charged with criminal mischief - 1st degree for the act that occurred during late Summer 2019, through early October 2019.
Deputy Dray states that Baker, having no right to do so or any reasonable ground to believe that he had such right, intentionally or wantonly defaced, destroyed or damaged 60 plus white and red oak trees, with stumps measuring in diameters between 15” to 39". The minimum appraised value was $1,000.00 per tree, causing pecuniary loss of $1,000.00 or more, for a minimum total of $60,000.00.
The deputy states that Baker cut down the trees with a chainsaw off of the Northern edge/sections of Lizzie Partin Road, Frakes, Kentucky. The land belongs to the victim, Gary Estes of Tazewell, Tennessee.
Jerome Baker is lodged in the Bell County Detention Center on a $1,000 cash bond.
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