Dickson County auto burglary suspects deny role in crime spree

DICKSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — Dickson County investigators broke an auto burglary case wide open with the arrest of multiple suspects while recovering many stolen items.

The Dickson County crime spree happened during the early morning hours on Thursday, July 18. That’s when auto burglars rifled through as many as 22 cars, stealing cash, weapons, and even handcuffs and a badge from a Tennessee Department of Correction (DOC) officer.

Now, three men allegedly connected to the incident are all behind bars.

The big break in the case came on Sunday, July 21 after members of the Ashland City Police Department arrested 31-year-old Seth Ryan Hall. Officers stopped his vehicle and discovered a handgun reported stolen out of Nashville inside, along with a DOC badge.

Dickson County Sheriff Tim Eads confirmed the badge was stolen during the Petty Road crime spree on July 18.

“We were able to develop two suspects because of Ashland City PD’s good work,” Eads told News 2.

Based on intelligence developed from the Ashland City stop, Dickson County deputies raided a property along Old Highway 70 on Wednesday, July 24.

Body camera footage revealed a few tense moments as authorities, with guns drawn, moved in. They quickly took 29-year-old Billy Perry into custody, followed by 42-year-old James Dubois Jr. Both men are ex-cons.

According to the DOC, Dubois was convicted of attempted tampering with evidence in 2023 and sentenced to three years of probation.

Meanwhile, Perry was in DOC custody from 2018 to 2024 for convictions of auto burglary and contraband in a penal facility. He expired his sentence in March.

Deputies searched the residence and found many stolen items reportedly taken in the Petty Road auto burglaries.

On Thursday, July 25, the Dickson County Sheriff’s Office showed News 2 eight stolen cell phones, brass knuckles, jewelry, speakers, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia. There was also a stun gun, handcuffs, and the DOC badge recovered by Ashland City police

Eads said the handcuffs were also stolen from the DOC officer: “We believe these go with the TDOC badge…All of these items were taken from hardworking people by a couple people that still probably out to be in prison.”

When asked what he would say to would be criminals, the sheriff responded, “Stay out of Dickson County. We won’t give up.”

Dubois and Perry are charged with multiple offenses, including nine counts of auto burglary for Dubois and 10 counts of auto burglary for Perry. They both spoke to News 2’s Andy Cordan Thursday in the Dickson County Jail.

Dubois: “They come in my house, started searching, and put us on the ground for stolen stuff. I’m charged with auto burglaries, something I did not even do.”

Cordan: “They say you did do it.”

Dubois: “No. Lord no, I did not do it.”

Cordan: “They found stolen property in there.”

Dubois: “That’s fine. That’s fine. I was not the only one arrested. My brother-in-law was arrested too.”

Cordan: “Was that Billy?”

Dubois: “Yes.”

Cordan: “Why is stolen property in the house?”

Dubois: “Someone in the house did it. Was not me. The other person who come down here. I’m not saying no names. I’m not telling on nobody. I didn’t do it.”

Cordan: “They got the wrong man?”

Dubois: “I went to prison for this, been out nine years. I haven’t stole nothing in nine years. I’m not going to start.”

Cordan: “How do you feel now?”

Dubois: “I feel bad. Nothing I can do about it.”

Cordan: “You know Seth Hall? He talked a lot in Ashland City. You weren’t out that night with him?”

Dubois: “I was out there with him. I was riding with him, but we wasn’t breaking into anything…I didn’t do it. I really did not do it.”

Cordan: “Can anyone corroborate it?”

Dubois: “My son, 4 years old. I was in bed with him every night.”

Dubois’ bond is set at $110,000 while Perry’s is $120,000.

Cordan: “Did you steal stuff off petty road?”

Perry: “No. In the middle of the night, a guy named Seth — I’m not sure of his last name — showed up at my house with a bunch of stolen s***. I’d just been released from prison after 10 years, and I told him, ‘Look, I can’t be involved in this. I don’t know what you’re doing, but you’ve got to leave.’ He talked and left. Now I’m arrested for charges I didn’t do. I think there was stuff left. Maybe stolen, nothing major, or he would not have left it; I would not allow him.”

Cordan: “Were you at the house with the pit bull?”

Perry: “That is my brother-in-law and sister’s house.”

Cordan: “If you didn’t do it, how do you feel?”

Perry: “It sucks. I’m having to sit in here after doing 10 years in prison and not doing anything wrong, and I can’t get out of here. I don’t even know Seth.”

News 2 showed Perry a picture of Hall through the jailhouse glass, who Perry confirmed was “Seth.”

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On body cam footage, Hall told Ashland City police he did not steal the gun or the badge, adding that he let others drive his car.

“The pipe’s mine. I’ll take that,” Hall said. “That gun and that badge doesn’t belong to me.”

Hall is currently being held in the Cheatham County Jail for charges related to Sunday’s traffic stop. However, Dickson County investigators told News 2 burglary charges against Hall are very probable.

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