Shreveport, LA – Three men have been arrested in connection with the theft and resale of over $10,000 worth of copper wire stolen from AT&T job sites in Caddo and Bossier Parishes, authorities confirmed this week.
According to Caddo Parish Sheriff Henry Whitehorn Sr., Jermaine Johns, 46, of Shreveport, was taken into custody on April 11 following a joint investigation between the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office (CPSO) and the Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office (BPSO). Two additional suspects, Jessie Winnfield and Fredrick Hicks, both of Princeton, Louisiana, were also arrested by BPSO investigators.
The investigation began after CPSO Investigator Chris Morgan received a tip indicating that three individuals were involved in the theft of copper wire from active AT&T work sites. In response, CPSO and BPSO investigators coordinated their efforts and executed search warrants at each suspect’s residence simultaneously within their respective jurisdictions.
Authorities say the searches yielded key evidence at all three locations, including copper wire remnants and tools linked to the thefts.
Johns was apprehended at his residence in the 1800 block of Anna Street in Shreveport and transported to the CPSO detective’s office. There, he was advised of his Miranda rights and later admitted to selling the stolen copper wire for cash.
The value of the stolen wire is estimated to exceed $10,000, according to law enforcement.
Johns was booked into the Caddo Correctional Center on one count of illegal possession of stolen things. The investigation into the full extent of the thefts remains ongoing, and additional charges may be filed.
Officials from both sheriff’s offices emphasized the importance of inter-agency cooperation in successfully identifying and arresting the suspects involved.