Fiber Optic Theft Yields Downed Internet, Communication Outages Across The IE: 9 Arrests Made

INLAND EMPIRE, CA — Fiber optic cable thefts across the Inland Empire caused two days of critical infrastructure communication outages and led to the arrest of nine unhoused people, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.

On Tuesday, investigators discovered roughly 300 feet of fiber optic cable near a San Bernardino County homeless encampment in the area of 1325 W. Camino Real, leading to the multiple arrests.

The male suspects were being held at the Central Jail on $30,000 bail. The female suspects were being held with the same bail amount at the SBCSD West Valley Jail. All would answer varying charges of Grand Theft: Copper, Receiving Stolen Property, and Conspiracy to Commit a crime, along with a smattering of drug-related charges.

On Tuesday, investigators with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Rural Crimes Task Force followed up on a fiber optic cable theft near the intersection of East Fairway Drive and North Crossroads Drive.

"AT&T estimated the damages to be $194,000, not including fines and customer paybacks for the outages," according to the Sheriff's Department.

If you have any further information about this crime, please contact Deputy Mark Contreras at the Gangs/Narcotics Rural Crime Task Force at (909) 387-8400. Anonymous tips can be provided to We-Tip at 1-800-782-7463 or online at www.wetip.com.

The suspects included:

• Manuel Cisneros, 42-years-old, Resident of San Bernardino
• Rudy Salazar, 37-years-old, Resident of Rialto
• Justin Lewis, 37-years-old, Resident of San Bernardino
• Crystal Flores, 37-years-old, Resident of San Bernardino
• Alexandria Cornaggia, 31-years-old, Resident of Rialto
• Jamie Frey, 47-years-old, Resident of San Bernardino
• Jonathan Valdivia, 33-years-old, Resident of San Bernardino
• Rachel Jimenez, 40-years-old, Resident of San Bernardino
• Joe Corral Jr., 46-years-old, Resident of San Bernardino