A Tucson man who spent two months systematically stripping copper wiring from the city’s streetlight system has been sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to repay more than $46,000 in damages.
Robert Joseph Carrillo pleaded guilty to theft and trafficking in stolen property in connection with the thefts, which occurred in September and October of 2025. Prosecutors said Carrillo removed and sold copper wiring from underground infrastructure supporting Tucson’s public streetlights — a crime that caused significant damage requiring extensive repairs and left darkened streets that posed a safety risk to residents and drivers.
The Arizona Attorney General’s Office prosecuted the case. Carrillo was sentenced March 24th and ordered to pay the City of Tucson $46,582 in restitution alongside his five-year prison term.
