Miami men sentenced in Georgia for copper thefts

ROME, Ga. – Federal prosecutors in Georgia say two Miami men are going to prison for hijacking truckloads of copper products.

Prosecutors say 40-year-old Rodolfo Arteaga Oliva was sentenced this week to serve four years and nine months in prison, while 38-year-old Yosvani Castillo was sentenced in May to serve five years and three months in prison.

They also have to pay a total of almost $1.4 million in restitution.

Prosecutors say they targeted trucks leaving the Southwire Copper Company in Carrollton and the Hussey Copper company in Pennsylvania.

Prosecutors say the pair would follow a truck until its driver pulled over for a stop, sometimes after hundreds of miles. Then they stole the entire truck and trailer, transferred the copper into another trailer and drove it to Miami, where they sold it.