Shawn N. Anderson, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant Albert Benavente Taimanglo, 69, from Dededo, Guam, was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment.
He was charged in the U.S. District Court of Guam with conspiracy to commit theft of government property in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 371 and 641.
The court also ordered three years of supervised release, restitution of $44,567.90, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
In January 2019, Taimanglo and others broke into a United States Naval Communication Station utility station known as Radio Barrigada.
Taimanglo and his co-conspirators cut and removed copper cables.
They later sold it as scrap to metal recycling facilities. The wire carried a live current, which electrocuted one of the co-conspirators.
It also caused an emergency power outage and hampered important military communications capabilities.
“This case demonstrates the danger of stealing copper cable that is connected to a live grid,” stated Anderson. “The damage was beyond a simple repair and potentially affected national security.”
Anderson added, “The sentence imposed by the court sends a strong message of deterrence.
“Recycling facilities are encouraged to report suspected copper theft to law enforcement at the earliest opportunity.”
- Former Army Reservist Cody Francis Guilty of Conspiring to Steal Government Funds - September 30, 2024
- Alphonse Bazile, Rayshaud Green Jailed 180 Months for Firearms Offences - September 30, 2024
- Gretna Resident Felix Mackey Sentenced to 192 Months in Prison for Methamphetamine, Cocaine Hydrochloride, Cocaine Base Trafficking - September 30, 2024
