BY RACHEL DOVE
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

PAINTSVILLE — An Inez man was arrested in neighboring Johnson County for allegedly cutting and stealing phone lines owned by Foothills Communication.

Justin Mollette, 33, was arrested Aug. 23 by Johnson County Sheriff’s deputies.

According to the police report, deputies arrived at the intersection of U.S. 23 and KY 3224, where the theft had been reported. Law enforcement spotted Mollette standing over the hill from where the line had been cut.

When Mollette realized deputies had him in sight, he attempted to flee, jumping across the creek. A deputy intercepted him a short distance away and took him into custody.

Deputies report that Mollette had a bag containing tools, including the saw used to cut the line. Inside the vehicle Mollette was driving, officers discovered a receipt from Mountain Metals Recyclables in Prestonsburg, where the defendant had sold 113 pounds of copper earlier that morning.

Mollette has prior arrests in Martin County for the same crimes and was recently indicted by a grand jury.

According to the arresting officer, Foothills personnel estimate the damage caused by Mollett’s crime exceeds $15,000. A supervisor for the company was at the scene when Mollette was arrested and advised he would get a complete list together for the cost of repairs and submit that to the court.

Mollette was transported to the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center in Paintsville and charged with theft by unlawful taking or disposition over $10,000 and first-degree criminal mischief.