TENNESSEE MAN SENTENCED FOR STEALING COMPUTERS FROM SCHOOL Church Hill man sentenced to two years for burglarizing school: "Church Hill man sentenced to two years for burglarizing school
Tuesday, February 07, 2006

By JEFF BOBO
Times-News

ROGERSVILLE - A Church Hill man arrested last February when police, acting on a tip, stopped his vehicle and found him in possession of stolen school computers, was sentenced to prison Monday in Hawkins County Circuit Court.

The Church Hill Police Department provided video surveillance to a local TV news program last February that had been taken during the commission of a burglary at Carters Valley Elementary School.

Shortly after that footage was broadcast on the 6 p.m. news, police began receiving tips from people who recognized the burglar as Michael Lynn Wallen, 33, 370 Hurd Road, Church Hill.

CHPD Sgt. Chad Mosely acted quickly on one of the tips, and less than a half hour after the footage was shown on television he stopped a pickup driven by Wallen as he was transporting the stolen computers, valued at approximately $5,000, along Cold Comfort Road.

Wallen was sentenced to two years and one day in prison Monday by Circuit Judge James Beckner in exchange for guilty pleas to burglary and theft over $1,000. Although all the stolen computers were recovered, Wallen was ordered to pay $365 to the Hawkins County school district as compensation for the damage caused during the burglary.

Wallen will be eligible for parole after serving 30 percent of his sentence."