David Allen Land, 45, of Pevely was allegedly found with batteries that were stolen from an internet tower south of Festus and a substance that tested positive as methamphetamine. The batteries belonged to Lightwave Internet of Crystal City, according to court documents.
Land was arrested on Aug. 4, and as of Monday, Aug. 11, he was being held on a $4,000 bond at the Jefferson County Jail in Hillsboro, court records show.
The Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Land with receiving stolen property and possession of a controlled substance, both class D felonies. The Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged him as a prior offender and persistent drug offender because he has been convicted of at least two previous drug offenses in Jefferson County, court papers said.
The Prosecuting Attorney’s Office asked the court to treat the receiving stolen property charge as a class C felony, which is punishable by three to 10 years in prison, and the drug charge as a class B felony, which carries a penalty of five to 15 years in prison, according to court documents.
Class D felonies are punishable by up to seven years in prison.
Land was first arrested on June 17 when Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office deputies found him at a home where the stolen six-volt Crown Deep cycle batteries and meth was allegedly found. Land allegedly admitted that the meth belonged to him, according to the case’s probable-cause statement.
The batteries were reported stolen on June 15 by a Lightwave Internet employee, who was notified that an internet tower was offline near the intersection of Hwys. 61 and TT south of Festus. The six batteries were worth a combined $900, the report said.
Land allegedly posted a picture of one of the stolen batteries and was trying to sell it on Facebook according to the report.
In November 2022, Land was found guilty of two charges of possession of a controlled substance following arrests in Jefferson County in April and November 2022. He had been sentenced to five years in prison, but he was released and placed on probation, court records show.