BAXTER COUNTY, AR – A man accused of stealing utility services is being held in the county jail at Mountain Home.
The Baxter County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) says Travis Michael Russell, 40, of Jonesboro, is accused in numerous incidents and is also accused of causing damage to utility company equipment.
The incidents took place from April 2014 through December 2014. The City of Mountain Home Water Department and the North Arkansas Electric Cooperative are identified as victims.
The first incident was reported on April 7, 2014 by the Mountain Home Water Department. An employee of that department reported to the BCSO that their water meter at 2065 Glenbriar Pl. in Mountain Home had been bypassed. The address was Russell’s residence. The estimated amount of water loss by theft and damage to the meter was $666.76.
On May 5, 2014, an employee of the North Arkansas Electric Cooperative reported their padlock and meter seal had been cut, and the meter jumped and damaged at a residence formerly occupied by Russell. The estimated amount of electricity loss by theft and damage to the equipment was $3,032.22.
On December 2, 2014, a North Arkansas Electric Cooperate (NAEC) employee reported he was performing service work at the Kingswood Mobile Home Park on State Highway 5 South of Mountain Home and discovered the meter at unit #103 had been jumped. The seals on the meters at unit #105 and unit #106 were also found to be cut. Another complaint from the same location was made on December 30, 2014. BCSO investigators met the NAEC employee at the scene and inquired further. They then learned that Russell had been employed by the property owner as a maintenance man but had been discharged and had left the park. It was also discovered that the meter at #305 had been tampered with, resulting in a loss of stolen power of about $18.10. The breaker box at unit #302 was tampered with as well, with a heavy duty extension cord having been wired into unit #303 to provide power to that location.
Total estimated loss from theft of services and property damage at all locations is $7,073.44.
Sheriff’s Investigators obtained a bench warrant for Russell’s arrest. He is already being held in the Baxter County Detention Center on unrelated charges of Revocation of Probation and Delivery of a Controlled Substance. New charges related to the theft of utility cases include: Damaging Fixtures of a Power Company (6 counts), Theft of Services, (6 counts), Theft of Property, and Criminal Mischief.
Russell has a bond of $17,500 on the new charges, but continues to be held without bond on the Revocation charge.
