A Plattsmouth, NE man pled guilty to charges of burglarizing a cell tower, a Class IIA felony. The miscreant, Joseph R. Gillott, confessed to stealing copper wire and communications equipment from a tower owned by Future Technologies. Although Gillott walked off with only $884 in stolen goods, the burglary caused $21,000 in damages, reports the Plattsmouth Journal.
In a plea deal, the state agreed to dismiss a Class IV felony charge of criminal mischief and the associated fine of $5,000. Instead, legal counsel is recommending that Gillott spend the next three to four years as an inmate at the Nebraska Department of Corrections. Time served would also count towards an unrelated case for drug offenses. The court date for the sentencing is scheduled for late December.
When Gillott was apprehended, he was in a vehicle near the cell tower site, and possessed the stolen property. According to his attorney, Gillott accessed the site by breaching a metal fence and breaking a locked door with a pry bar. Cass County Deputies identified Gillott by distinctive tattoos on his arms, which they said they recognized from previous encounters with the suspect.
Gillott was arrested two days after the July 28 incident. A $25,000 bond was placed on Gillott, who remains an occupant of the Cass County Jail.
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