Pair Sentenced For Removing Copper From Radio Towers

Two people were sentenced for the malicious destruction of federally-licensed communications lines, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Thomas M. Carbone, 28, of North Royalton, was sentenced to 27 months in prison while Katie M. Stanton, 23, of Cleveland, was sentenced to eight months under house arrest. They were ordered to pay $10,971 in restitution.

On or about August 17 to 18, 2012, Carbone and Stanton unlawfully entered the property of Radio One on Ridge Road in North Royalton, Ohio, and willfully and maliciously destroyed and removed copper material from four radio-station towers situated on the property, according to court documents.

This unlawful removal of copper depleted the signal strength of the supported radio station, thereby impeding the station’s ability to broadcast emergency messages, according to court docuements.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas E. Getz and M. Kendra Klump. The case was investigated by the Cleveland Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the North Royalton Police Department.