The Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has charged a Valles Mines man for allegedly stealing AT&T telecommunication wire four times over a span of two and half weeks. The wire was allegedly cut and stolen from utility poles in the De Soto area, court documents show.
Nicholas Wayne Montgomery, 48, on April 17 was charged with stealing, a class D felony punishable by up to seven years in prison, according to court records.
As of Monday, April 21, he was being held on a $20,000 cash-only bond at the Jefferson County Jail in Hillsboro, court document said.
According to the case’s probable-cause statement, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called on March 1 to the 5900 block of Hwy. P just northeast of De Soto after approximately 250 feet of copper wire was cut and stolen from utility poles.
The Sheriff’s Office was called again on March 4 after approximately 850 feet of copper wire was cut from utility poles in the 4600 block of Hwy. 100 north of De Soto and less than 2 miles away from where the wire was stolen near Hwy. P, the report said.
On March 8, the De Soto Police were called to the 10 block of Skyline Drive near the North Main Street intersection when more AT&T copper wire was stolen from utility poles. This alleged theft also was near the areas where wire was stolen on March 1 and 4, according to the report.
A deputy set up a trail camera near the March 8 theft, and Montgomery was allegedly seen at about 4:50 a.m. March 19 walking away from the area the wire was stolen from near Skyline Drive. The trail camera’s picture showed he was carrying a bag, the report said.
On March 20, the Sheriff’s Office was called to the intersection of Hwy. P and Roses Place Road due to more copper wire being cut from utility poles. That location was less than a quarter mile from the March 4 theft, according to the report.
Another trail camera was set up at the intersection, and at about 11:15 p.m. March 20, Montgomery was allegedly seen attempting to steal the cut wire, the report said.
A deputy on April 17 arrested Montgomery on outstanding warrants. He allegedly admitted to stealing wire on March 1 and 20, and that he was the person seen on the trail camera on March 19. However, he also told the deputy he did not cut the wire near the intersection of Skyline Drive and North Main Street in De Soto, according to the report.
Montgomery also allegedly said he has been involved in multiple telecommunication wire thefts in the area, and that he scouted potential theft locations in De Soto, the report said.
Montgomery was on probation at the time of his arrest after he pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance charges in October 2023 in Jefferson County and December 2023 in St. Francois County. The judges in those cases suspended Montgomery’s prison sentences and placed him on five years’ probation, according to court documents.
Jefferson County assistant prosecuting attorney Justin Owens is prosecuting the case.