Carmichaels man sentenced for copper theft
A Carmichaels man was sentenced Wednesday in federal court in Pittsburgh to time served for damaging a natural gas well pad two years ago in Monongahela Township while stealing copper wire.
Heath A. Rankin, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mark Hornak to time served, or 12 months in jail, according to a release issued by U.S. Attorney David Hickton.
Rankin and co-defendant, Brian Harbarger, 36, of Crucible, also were jointly ordered to pay $18,624 to Chevron USA Inc. for damage to the Burchianti well pad.
Both men pleaded guilty earlier to one count each of damage to an energy facility, Harbarger was sentenced to one year of probation during an earlier hearing.
In March 2014, Rankin and Harbarger cut and stole copper grounding wire from production tanks and the impoundment area at the Burchianti well site, resulting in the pad being shut in until all the repairs could be made, the release said.
The FBI and state police investigated the incident.