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Electrician who bypassed electrical meter in southern Minnesota pleads guilty

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Ridler

OLIVIA, Minn. — An electrical contractor pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor theft charge for illegally tapping into the Olivia Municipal Utilities electrical distribution system.

Roger Bradley Ridler, 42, of Olivia, pleaded guilty Monday, Aug. 5, in Renville County District Court to the misdemeanor charge of theft for obtaining the electrical services without paying.

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Ridler was sentenced to 90 days in jail, stayed for one year, and he was placed on supervised probation for one year. He must pay restitution and write a letter of apology.

He originally faced a felony theft charge, which was dismissed when he was sentenced.

According to court records, Ridler admitted to tapping into the power service before it reached his meter, in part because the city would not give him a rebate for lighting several years earlier.

The criminal complaint states the city lost $925.07 in electrical revenues during a three-year period covered by the statute of limitations. City officials believe the alleged theft of electricity began sometime after 2007, when Ridler reportedly ran the electrical service underground from the utility pole in the alley to his residence. The total loss to the city is an estimated $4,092.55.

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