Man jailed after deputies find makeshift phone line recycling operation

Wendell Taylor Johnson

BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

INEZ — A Martin County man went to jail Saturday after deputies uncovered what looked like a phone line recycling plant in his yard.

Wendell Taylor Johnson, 25, of Inez, was arrested at 349 Johnson Drive, where Martin County Sheriff’s deputies initially showed up to serve a warrant on a different suspect.

Johnson, who owns the property, allowed the officers to search, though the suspect they were looking for was not there.

What they did find, however, they could not ignore.

The officers spotted a “large” pile of stripped aluminum coating—apparently remnants of cut phone lines—upon pulling into the driveway. During their search deputies found a second “large” pile of it in the backyard. They found a third pile tucked into a crawl space, again describing it as “large.”

Behind the house, officers found several hundred feet of black plastic sheathing from cut phone lines. They noted three burn pits in the yard along with a bolt cutter and a box cutter. A second pile of black sheathing several hundred feet long lay in the grass at the front of the property.

Johnson insisted he did not cut or burn the phone lines. He pointed the finger at Shawn Hopkins and Courtney Mills.

Johnson allegedly claimed the duo brought the phone lines to his property after cutting them on Johnson Drive and Johnson Bottom within the past week.

He said he had no idea where Hopkins or Mills were currently.

Two other individuals present at the residence, Kyle Safford and Billy Lane confirmed Johnson’s story. They stated they saw Hopkins and Mills deliver the cut phone lines to the property.

When officers noticed Johnson’s hands bore traces of black burn residue, Johnson stated he had burnt a “small pile of scrap copper” pulled from discarded electronics. The deputies noted a bundle of scrap cords on the ground near the garage.

Later, in the sheriff’s booking room, Johnson allegedly admitted he knew the lines were stolen. According to the police report, he stated he saw Hopkins physically hauling the cut cables onto his property. Johnson also acknowledged he was aware that Hopkins and Mills were stripping and burning copper from the lines, police said.

Johnson faces a charge of receiving stolen property valued at $1,000-$10,000.

Deputy Justin Bellamy investigated. Special Deputies J.C. Kirk, Cecil Diamond and Jimmy Robinson assisted at the scene.


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