Lee County deputies arrest man for vandalizing fiber optic cables

LEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Lee County deputies made an arrest in the fiber vandalism we first told you about earlier this week.

Now, 53-year-old Jeffery Anderson is charged with two counts of felony malicious mischief.

Sheriff Jim Johnson said the charges come after a search warrant was done on President Street in Tupelo.

Anderson had been under investigation for some copper theft at an old truck near Highway 371 and I-22 in Mooreville.

Investigators got a tip that led them to Anderson.

Tuesday morning, folks on County Road 1310 reported internet outages.

Turns out fiber optic cables had been cut. Up to 3,000 customers were impacted.

Johnson estimates the damages to be about $20,000.

Tombigbee Fiber reminded everyone that copper is not in the fiber cables and it is dangerous to cut a line hanging on a utility pole.

The sheriff said he will ask that Anderson be prosecuted as a habitual offender.

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