ROCKINGHAM — The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office has charged a man for allegedly trying to steal copper.
Russell Lear Hatchell, 57, of East Rockingham, is accused of damaging propane regulators while cutting copper tubing from them on Nov. 5.
The arrest warrant does not list a location or owner of the property.
Hatchell was arrested the same day and charged with a felony count of injury to public utility property and a misdemeanor count of injury to property to obtain nonferrous metals.
He was booked into the Richmond County Jail where he is being held on a $5,000 secured bond. Hatchell is scheduled to appear in court Nov. 19.
Records with the N.C. Department of Adult Correction show Hatchell was most recently convicted in 2023 on three counts of felony breaking and entering, two counts of felony larceny and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Hatchell also has the following prior convictions:
1982 - driving while impaired, operating a vehicle without a license (Richmond)
1994 - driving while impaired, driving while license revoked (Brunswick)
1998 - selling a Schedule III controlled substance, driving while license revoked (NOTE: The drug charges appears to have been later upgraded to possession with intent to sell a controlled substance) (Richmond)
2000 - driving while impaired
2001 - cheat-property or services, two counts of felony breaking and entering, possession of a Schedule II controlled substance (Richmond); driving while license revoked (Brunswick); misdemeanor larceny, second-degree trespassing, driving while license revoked (Columbus)
2005 - misdemeanor breaking and entering (Richmond)
All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
