MARIANNA -- A man on probation entered a plea Wednesday to the charge of theft of copper or other nonferrous metals from a communications service provider and admitted to being in violation of his probation as a result of committing this new offense.
Robert Wendell Scott Jr. was sentenced to 10 years in the Department of Corrections to be followed by 20 years of probation. There is a substantial amount of restitution owed due to the unique type of copper wiring and the down time incurred by the radio station because of this crime, according to a Marianna Police press release.
This charge stems from a Marianna Police Department investigation of a theft that occurred from the WJAQ radio tower in March. Several of the lines that provide power to the station and allow it to transmit had been cut and stolen. These lines are unique to the radio communication industry. Police were able to arrest the defendant after finding him in possession of the unique copper lines.