JC man sentenced in copper theft case

A Jefferson City man charged with breaking into a home and cutting apart the home's copper water lines in September 2012 was sentenced this week to three years in prison.

Willie Howard, 42, was charged with second-degree burglary, possession of burglary tools and possession of a controlled substance.

According to police reports,

officers went to the 900 block of Moreau Drive in response to a burglary.

The property owner and other witnesses arrived at the residence and found Howard and another man at the house.

One subject was standing in the backyard when officers arrived, and the other subject crawled out from underneath the rear garage door.

Both men fled on foot.

Responding officers began searching the area and located two men matching the description of the suspects on Dockery Street.

At the residence, officers found the suspects had cut all of the copper water lines in the basement and had damaged the water line, which was spilling water into the basement.