A Richmond County man already facing charges connected to a deadly copper wire theft is now accused of sexually abusing a child, according to Queen City News. Allan Joseph Subero, 42, of Rockingham, North Carolina, has been in custody since May after the theft attempt left 41-year-old Corey Shane Dorsey with fatal injuries, and he now faces statutory rape, statutory sexual offense, and taking indecent liberties with a child in a separate case.
A Copper Theft Attempt Turns Deadly
The Richmond County Sheriff's Office said the original incident happened near the intersection of Ledbetter Street and Rosylan Road, according to WSOC-TV. Deputies say that during the late evening hours of May 2, Subero and Dorsey dismantled and cut a large AT&T phone cable to get to the copper wiring inside. The pole the cable was attached to broke at its base under the stress of being pulled, striking Dorsey and causing life-threatening injuries, per the same report.
Dorsey was first taken to Subero's home before emergency services transported him to FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital's Richmond campus, according to Queen City News. He was later transferred to UNC Chapel Hill's Trauma Center, where WSOC-TV reported he died from his injuries several days later. Queen City News reports Dorsey sustained multiple spine and rib fractures along with a traumatic brain injury. An obituary from Nelson Funeral Service confirmed Dorsey died May 14, 2026, at age 41.
Charges Tied to Dorsey's Death
WSOC-TV reported that Subero was arrested May 13 and faces a felony charge of injury of personal property to obtain nonferrous metals resulting in serious bodily injuries. Queen City News reports Subero also faces charges for damaging the wires and for Dorsey's death, and he is held on a combined secured bond of $205,000 for the cases relating to that death. Separately, WSOC-TV reported Subero faces another felony charge of injury to personal property to obtain nonferrous metals in an unrelated case.
Subero also faces felony larceny and conversion charges tied to an October 2024 case in which he is accused of taking a couch, bed, washing machine, TV, and microwave with its stand from a man, according to Queen City News.
New Child Sex Crime Charges Surface
Court documents say Subero sexually abused a 13-year-old child in January 2024, according to Queen City News. The Richmond County Sheriff's Office said the investigation into the child sexual offense allegations began in 2024 and that recent evidence led to the new charges. Subero is held without bond on the child sex crime charges, Queen City News reports, and now has three pending cases altogether.
Mark Gullege, speaking for the sheriff's office, said investigators continued pursuing the cases despite the time that had passed. He said investigations of alleged child sexual offenses require patience, sensitivity, and thorough examination of available evidence, adding that the sheriff's office remains committed to protecting vulnerable community members and properly investigating these allegations, according to Queen City News. Subero is expected in court Thursday, Dec. 3, and Monday, Dec. 7, for the three cases, per the same report.
Copper Theft a Growing Problem Statewide
Dorsey's death comes amid a wider surge in copper wire theft across North Carolina. AT&T has recorded more than 215 copper-wire theft incidents statewide this year, according to WECT, while WLOS separately reported the company has recorded 215 such incidents across the state so far this year. Wilmington police told WECT they alone have had eight copper wire-related thefts this year, and said commercial HVAC units have also been targeted for the copper inside them.
AT&T North Carolina president Trey Rabon told WLOS that copper theft can disrupt emergency communications, warning that if folks need to call emergency services or 911, they're not able to access the infrastructure necessary to complete that call. AT&T said Buncombe County alone has seen about 40 such incidents over the past two years. In May, five people were charged in connection with multiple copper thefts across Buncombe County that investigators said caused widespread outages, and in early June, stolen internet lines forced Good Pizza Company to close for a day, its owner told WLOS.
