Two Men Charged in Jefferson County Wire Theft Case

Jefferson Co., Mo. (KFMO) - Two men are facing felony charges for allegedly stealing telecommunications wire from an AT&T site in Jefferson County.

According to authorities, 51-year-old Joe Barton of Fredericktown and 61-year-old Troy Richburg of Festus have each been charged with one count of felony stealing. The charges stem from the theft of AT&T telecommunication wire in the 2900 block of Harness Road in Festus on April 9th. The incident was reported to authorities on April 11th. Detectives with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office led the investigation and coordinated efforts over a two-day period to locate and arrest both suspects.

On April 11th, Richburg was apprehended after he and Barton allegedly returned to the scene to retrieve the cut wire. Barton fled the area, but the next evening, he was located in the 12800 block of State Road CC in Festus. Investigators were able to gather enough evidence to obtain in-custody warrants for Barton’s arrest.

Barton is being held on a $25,000 cash-only bond. Richburg is being held on a $15,000 cash-only bond.