Tony Lynn Strand has been ordered to spend a decade in Tennessee state prison, without the chance of parole, after pleading guilty to charges tied to a hidden camera planted in the women's restroom at The Cove at Concord Park. The sentence was handed down on Friday, March 27, 2026, and will also require Strand to register on the Tennessee sex-offender registry once he is released.
Judge Accepts Plea, Locks In Decade-Long Term
Strand pleaded guilty to three counts of especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, as well as burglary and observation without consent, according to the Knox County District Attorney's Office, as reported by WBIR. The court accepted the plea agreement and imposed a 10-year sentence with no possibility of parole under that deal.
How Investigators Uncovered the Device
The case broke open after a park visitor spotted something that did not look right in the women's bathroom on April 8, 2025. Deputies checked the ceiling space above the stalls and eventually found a camera concealed overhead. The Knox County Sheriff's Office says officers accessed the ceiling through a hatch on the men's side and followed an extension cord that ran to the device, which detectives then removed. Knox County Sheriff's Office officials urged anyone who used that restroom during the late-March to early-April window to contact investigators.
Forensics Recovered Thousands of Recordings
Investigators report that a forensic download of the camera's storage revealed 1,574 videos, including 107 that showed children under the age of 13. Forensic officers also lifted fingerprints from the device that matched Strand, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation crime lab found that a cigarette butt recovered from the ceiling contained his DNA, WBIR reported.
Charges, Sentencing Range and Registry
The sheriff's office notes that especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor is a Class B felony in Tennessee, carrying a statutory sentencing range of eight to 12 years. The agreed 10-year term falls squarely inside that range. Local reporting also states that Strand will be required to register on the Tennessee Sex Offender Registry once he completes his prison term. Background on the case and earlier procedural steps was detailed by the Knox County Sheriff's Office and WVLT.
Previous Coverage and What's New
Hoodline previously covered the case when a Knox County grand jury returned indictments and the hidden camera was first traced back to Strand in April 2025. Friday's plea and sentencing mark a major update to that earlier reporting. The earlier indictment and community reaction coverage outlined how the discovery rattled regulars at The Cove.
How to Contact Investigators
Authorities are still asking anyone who used the women's restroom at The Cove between March 24 and April 8, 2025, to reach out to the Major Crimes Unit if they have information or concerns. Public instructions and a tip email address were included in local coverage; for the sheriff's contact details and how to report, see WVLT.
