By Ray King
A $50,000 cash only bond was set Thursday for a Pine Bluff man accused of cutting down copper wires from telephone poles since October, then selling the wires to a small engine repair shop in Pine Bluff.
Jefferson County District Judge Kim Bridgforth set the bond after ruling prosecutors have probable cause to charge John Mayberry, 34, with theft of property, breaking or entering, and damaging wires and fixtures, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
During the court hearing, Deputy Prosecutor Beth Carson said Mayberry has three felony cases pending and an alias warrant because he failed to appear for a jury trial in June 2023 for which his bond was revoked.
Reading from an affidavit by Detective Jason Boykin, Carson said on Jan. 2, Boykin took a recorded statement from a confidential informant that identified Mayberry as being involved in the cutting down of AT& T wires.
Carson said police conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle Mayberry allegedly used and talked to a witness.
Boykin also reported that when he questioned Mayberry, he admitted cutting a hole in a fence at the AT&T Substation at 7th and Beech, crawling through a storage area and stealing a large roll of copper wire.
Mayberry has pending theft and drug related charges stemming from arrests in 2022 . He was told to come back to court Feb. 8.
