Two Charged in CT Wire Cutting Causing Internet Outages for 40,000

Two North Carolina residents have been charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny, conspiracy to commit to first-degree criminal mischief, and interfering with a police officer in connection with a vandalism incident that disrupted internet service to about 40,000 Optimum customers in Fairfield County last month. More than 2,000 fiber-optic cable lines were cut at an undisclosed location in Norwalk, causing the outages. The suspects, Austin Keith Geddings and Jillian Nicole Persons, were identified and arrested by Norwalk detectives. They are being held on $200,000 bond and are expected to appear for arraignment at the state Superior Court in Stamford on April 11.