The man charged with bypassing an electric meter to steal more than $5,600 in electricity from Caney Fork Electric Cooperative pleaded guilty in the case last week in DeKalb County Criminal Court.

It was on October 11, 2021, it was discovered that 50-year-old Shawn Edward Soales, altered and tampered with electrical wires established by Caney Fork Electric Cooperative to obtain those services for his own benefit. Soales altered the wires to bypass the meter used to measure the amount of electricity used at his residence, therefore bypassing any billing. Caney Fork Electric show the residence as a vacant account since February 21, 2020, and the estimated amount owed is $5,601.21.

In Criminal Court last week, Soales entered a plea to theft of services over $2,500 and received a two-year TDOC sentence on supervised probation. He was ordered to make restitution of $5,601 to Caney Fork Electric Cooperative.

John Phillip Petrone, Jr., 41, pleaded guilty to one count of burglary and received a two-year TDOC sentence on supervised probation.  He was given jail credit of 46 days, and must pay $715 in restitution jointly and severally with a co-defendant in the case.

Kieran Eshae Walker, 33, pleaded guilty to possession of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) under 0.5 grams and received a six-year sentence, all suspended to supervised probation. He was fined $2,000 and given 52 days jail credit.