Raleigh County, WV (WOAY) – A Raleigh County man has been arrested for allegedly tampering with utility poles.
According to a Facebook post, on August 7, 2025, detectives with the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office conducted an investigation related to a recent spike in phone wire thefts targeting utility poles in the Raleigh County area.
As a part of the ongoing investigation Detectives reviewed receipts from Wood’s Recycling in Beaver, WV from July and early August 2025.
An employee at the recycling facility gave investigators access to a storeroom, several hundred pounds of twisted pair phone line were found stored in 55-gallon barrels.
According to the media release, Detectives were able to identify Charles Stanley by his name, identification card and signature which were present. When questioned, Mr. Stanley confirmed visiting Wood’s Recycling. The ID he provided matched the one used on the receipts.
As a result of the investigation, 54-year-old Charles Robert Stanley is charged with 10 counts of felony transferring stolen property and 4 counts of misdemeanor transferring stolen property. Charles Stanley is also currently on Federal Probation.
According to investigators, they recovered nearly 7000 pounds of copper, with an estimated value of $20,136. The victim in this case is Frontier Communications.
