Byron Backman, arrested for stealing copper wire from Falkirk Mine near Underwood, North Dakota, has pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit criminal mischief and theft.
Backman was charged alongside two others after McLean County sheriff’s deputies investigated several break-ins at the coal mine. The mine spokesperson reported damages exceeding $500,000 due to the thefts.
Originally set for trial, Backman entered his guilty plea on September 24 and is now undergoing a pre-sentence investigation. He faces up to 10 years in prison for each count.