The trial of a Cumberland County man accused of the arson of a Crossville nightspot March 2, 2024 — scheduled for Aug. 19 — was postponed in U.S. District Court for Middle Tennessee.
Brandon Chance Jones, 27, was set to go on trial for the arson of Bootleggers Bar on Hwy. 70 East. Jones was indicted by the Cumberland County Jury on the single count. Since then, federal authorities indicted Jones and Jones was transferred from state to federal custody where he has been held since.
This action placed prosecution in state court on hold as local prosecutors wait to see what happens in federal court.
An Aug. 11 pretrial conference was scheduled in federal court. On Aug. 5, however, a motion filed by Jones’ defense attorney withdrew, or waived, a previously filed motion for a speedy trial and new motion to postpone the trial date of Aug. 19.
U.S. District Judge Eli J. Richardson accepted those motions without opposition from federal prosecutors and ordered a new jury trial set for Jan. 13, 2026. A pretrial conference is scheduled for Jan. 5.
While this was going on, local prosecutors were busy as well. Jones was indicted Aug. 5 by the Cumberland County Grand Jury on a new charge of possession of a weapon by a felon.
The latest indictment — unrelated to the arson case — alleges Jones on Dec. 30, 2024, was in possession of a .22 rifle despite having been convicted of the felony of attempted burglary in August 2022.
Jones already faces arrest (felony with a vehicle), evading arrest, leaving the scene of a property damage crash, and driving on a revoked license in addition to the arson charge in Cumberland County.
All those cases have been continued in state court to Sept. 16.