A Tucson man has been sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to charges related to a string of copper wire thefts, authorities say.
Robert Joseph Carrillo also was sentenced by Pima County Superior Court Judge Howard Fell last week to five additional years of probation and ordered to pay $46,582 in restitution to the City of Tucson, the Arizona Attorney General's Office said in a news release.
"Between September 22, 2025, and October 11, 2025, Carrillo damaged underground City of Tucson infrastructure to steal copper wire that powered streetlights across Tucson," the release said. "He caused $46,582 in damage before selling the stolen wiring."
"Stealing copper wire damaged more than just city infrastructure, it disabled streetlights and made neighborhoods less safe across Tucson," Attorney General Kris Mayes said in the release. Carrillo pleaded guilty to theft and trafficking in stolen property, both felonies.
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In the thefts, copper wiring was removed and sold to scrap yards. More than a half-ton of copper wire is estimated to have been taken in the theft spree, Tucson police said at the time of Carrillo's arrest.
