Final Suspect Nabbed in Acres Homes Wire Thefts

July 10, 2008 - Houston police have arrested the fourth and final suspect wanted for stealing copper wire from various telephone poles in the city’s Acres Homes area.

Acting on a Crime Stoppers tip, Gilberto Aguirre Corona (H/m, DOB: 1-4-82) was arrested about 9:20 a.m. today (July 10) in the 9900 block of FM 1960 West. Corona is charged with felony theft of wire/cable in the 182nd State District Court.

Three other suspects arrested last week were Jermaine Fitzgerald Amerson (b/m, DOB: 10-25-81), the leader of the theft ring, and Ray Oscar Lewis (b/m, DOB: 5-19-87) and Ashton Derell Wilson (b/m, DOB: 1-17-87). Amerson and Lewis are charged with felony theft of wire/cable, Amerson in the 177th State District Court and Lewis in the 263rd State District Court. Wilson is charged with felony criminal mischief in the 178th State District Court.

The suspects are believed to be responsible for thefts of AT&T telephone wire in the following incidents since December 2007:

  • 6300 Yale on December 8
  • 782 Granville on May 9
  • 7905 Wheatley on May 20
  • 1700 Paul Quinn on May 28
  • 6524 Sealy on May 29
  • 6802 Covington on May 30

A concerned Acres Homes resident reported to police she saw a suspect (Amerson) carrying wire to the backyard of his home and putting it into a fire. The resident also stated that a Hispanic male, believed to be Corona, went by the location the next day to pick up the burned wire.

The investigation revealed that suspect Lewis had used a vehicle on five occasions to sell nearly one ton of copper wire to Alstar Recycling and had received about $7,800 for it. Lewis told investigators Amerson paid him $50 each time he sold wire to the business.

Wilson and Lewis were arrested last Wednesday (July 2) and Amerson was apprehended last Friday (July 4).

Update JFC/VHS
JFC/VHS 7-9-08

 

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