The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office hit a break in a case that modern-day Luddites might admire for its sheer audacity, if not for its illegality. A ring of nine individuals have been ensnared in an operation targeting fiber optic cables across Jacksonville and Bradford County. Since October, law enforcement has doggedly pieced together clues leading to arrests that unveiled a scheme wherein copper, rather than connectivity, was the prize.
Those initially snagged in the net were Steven Midyette, Van Arnold, Darrick Rhoden, Terry Thompson, and Donald Tyre, accused of masquerading as utility workers to filch cables and extract the valuable metal. The social media update from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office outlines how surveillance, witness statements, recycling records and detective work tied these suspects to over 15 thefts.
Not content with this quintet, investigators followed threads pointing to Archie Crook as the ostensible mastermind behind the string of larcenies. Joining him in custody are Corttney Kowalski, James Bennett, and Leslie Bennett, all apprehended amid an alleged heist. The catch yielded stolen copper, tools and illegal drugs, highlighting the multifaceted nature of the ring's illicit endeavors.
"Why should you care? When criminals steal fiber optic cables for copper, you risk losing your high-speed internet access. Plus, when utility companies has to replace stolen cables, guess who’s footing the bill? (You.)", the sheriff's office said in a reminder of the potential impact on everyday citizens.
A commendation was extended to the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office and Attorney General Uthmeier’s Office of Statewide Prosecution, both pivotal in extinguishing the operation.
