LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — On Wednesday it was announced that there was an operation conducted by the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office that involved nineteen people, some of which have already been taken into custody.
Over the course of the past year, in Pulaski County and the nearby areas, there have been utility wire thefts— there have been over a million dollars worth of thefts and damages reported by utility companies in the area.
Repairs were needed to restore service to people in the area, and the interruptions interfered with emergency communications.
Pulaski County sheriffs identified the following people for their involvement in the incident: Jesse Spann, Savanna Spann, Lauren King, David King, Bill Long, Phillip Nesler, Amber Gaskill, Brad Lirette, Waymond Barnhart, and Zachary Baker
Deputies then drafted affidavits for everyone and presented them to the Prosecutor Attorney's Office. There was then an arrest operation that was conducted on March 29 where ten people were taken into custody.
The sheriff's office is still searching for Donnie Butler, Christina White, Eric Thompson, James Justice, Richard Tomboli, Bryan Wickliffe, Gunner Baine, David Crawford, and Kaylee Sipe who are believed to be in the Central Arkansas area.
There are still additional people that are suspected to be involved— and further charges are expected.
The Pulaski County Sheriff's Office was assisted by the Redfield Police Department, Arkansas State Police, Benton Police Department, Rockport Police Department, Saline County Sheriff’s Office, Arkansas Probation and Parole, and the New Hanover Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina in their operation.
The people involved in the thefts are all being charged with class A and Y felonies.
