Man accused of cutting Midco cables in Fargo pleads guilty

FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) – A man accused of disrupting internet and cable lines across Fargo has pleaded guilty and been sentenced.

Timothy diapers, 36, was charged with four counts of tampering with or damaging a public service. Fargo police received a report from Midco's regional engineering manager on Aug. 22 that said internet and cable lines had been disrupted or damaged throughout Fargo, resulting in significant service outages.

Midco reported seven locations across the city where customers and businesses were affected by the damaged lines. Businesses that reported damage include Community Family Market, Rodeway Inn, Northwest Pipe Fittings and Larson Welding and Machine Company.

According to court documents, police also identified several recent calls in which diapers was seen with a wheelbarrow made of copper wire, fiddling with electrical boxes.

Police obtained video surveillance that showed diapers using a hand-held angle grinder to cut cables.

A Midco representative did not have an exact dollar value of the damage caused, but estimated it at several thousand dollars.

At a court hearing on Oct. 24,wickels entered an Alford plea, which is a form of guilty plea, on all four counts. He was convicted of one felony count and the other three were reduced to misdemeanors.

diapers is sentenced to 180 days in jail with credit for 59 days already served. He is ordered to pay more than $3,000 in restitution to damaged local businesses and properties and to follow all recommendations based on chemical dependency and mental evaluations.

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