BLOUNT COUNTY, Tenn. (WOKI / WVLT) — A Lenoir City man is facing multiple felony charges after investigators say he used a firearm to shoot and damage four automated license plate reader camera systems in Blount County and the City of Maryville.
The Blount County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation began July 25 after authorities discovered damage to four Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) systems. According to an affidavit obtained by WVLT News, at least one of the damaged devices was a Flock-branded camera.
Investigators with the Blount County Sheriff’s Office and the Maryville Police Department traced the incidents to 37-year-old Adam Lee Heimerman of Lenoir City. Heimerman was arrested Thursday and charged with four counts of felony vandalism.
According to authorities, Heimerman admitted to investigators that he used a gun to shoot four ALPR systems between July 14 and July 22. Officials said three of the cameras were located in Blount County, while a fourth was inside the City of Maryville.
Investigators also allege evidence showed Heimerman accessed one of the camera locations from the property of a house of worship while citizens were attending church services.
Heimerman is also listed on the Tennessee Secretary of State’s website as an independent candidate for Tennessee’s 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The damaged camera systems are used by law enforcement agencies to collect vehicle license plate information and assist with criminal investigations, locating stolen vehicles, and other public safety efforts.
Heimerman is currently being held at the Blount County Correctional Facility on a $40,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 5.
The investigation remains ongoing.
