Two North Carolina men, both reportedly Duke Energy employees, are now facing major felony charges after investigators say they carried out an almost $600,000 electricity theft plan directly next to one of NASCAR’s most recognised stadiums. The alleged operation took place at a Duke Energy substation near Charlotte Motor Speedway, and the statistics involved are not typical of power theft.
This is the important portion. According to investigators, no single home or small company had its power stolen. According to the warrants, the electricity was routed to Ver-El RV Park, a campground located just across from the speedway. That aspect alters the overall magnitude of the situation, as campgrounds and RV parks near major race tracks attract large visitors during event weekends, resulting in high power demand.
Who’s accused and what they’re charged with
The two men mentioned in the warrants are Michael Keith Kluttz, 55, and Edward Jerome Little, 65. Both apparently worked for Duke Energy, which distinguishes the claims from the ordinary theft case. These are not strangers slipping into a fenced-off substation in the dark. The warrants say that they utilised their positions to gain unlawful power, implying inside access rather than a break-in.
The cash amount associated with the alleged theft is what sticks out. Authorities believe that the stolen electricity was worth approximately $591,000. That isn’t a rounding error on your utility bill. That is a significant enough number to result in some of the most serious theft and fraud charges in North Carolina.
Both males were charged with causing damage to an energy facility, getting property worth more than $100,000 under false pretences, and laundering more than $100,000. The money laundering charge is particularly significant since it indicates that investigators feel this was more than simply about utilising free power. It indicates an attempt to shift or conceal the financial gain of what was taken.
The charge nobody expected
And that’s when things get difficult. Little is facing two more charges that have nothing to do with power whatsoever. He was charged with two counts of having a weapon of mass destruction. According to the warrant, the charges originate from a fully automatic firearm.
That’s a dramatic shift for a case that began as a power theft enquiry. A fully automatic firearm has enormous legal weight on its own, and when those counts are combined with the fraud and money laundering allegations, Little faces a much more difficult path through the judicial system than his co-defendant.
The arrests
According to records, both males were arrested on Thursday. They were booked into Cabarrus County Jail and set to appear in court on Friday. That quick turnaround shows that officials were certain they had a strong case to present before a judge.
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