On Wednesday, October 4th, Sheila Slate A.K.A. Sheila Mercer of Visalia, age 44, was sentenced on felony charges of second degree burglary in violation of Penal Code section 459. Slate was sentenced in Tulare County Court, Dinuba Division by the Honorable Stephen Drew. She was sentenced to 270 days in jail and was ordered to pay a fine of $1,191 plus restitution fines, and restitution to the victim. This case was investigated by the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Agricultural Crimes Unit, and the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office Rural Crimes Unit. Ian Marty of the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office Agricultural Crimes Unit was the prosecutor on this case.

The case arose as a result of increased metal thefts affecting local farmers. In an effort to respond to the increased thefts, random checks were made at local recycling companies by law enforcement. Sheriff’s deputies and detectives were performing checks at a local recycler and saw suspicious items being recycled. The defendant and another individual had unusually large quantities of distinctive copper wire. They also had other miscellaneous agricultural items including a submersible pump. When questioned regarding where she obtained the items, Slate stated that she had been given them by an uncle. It was also determined that Slate was operating a motor vehicle on a suspended driver’s license. When asked again, Slate admitted that she and her boyfriend had taken wiring and the pump from a local pig farm. Contact was made with the victim where the items were reportedly taken. An employee of the ranch indicated that copper wiring had been removed from buildings on the property. In addition he stated that a submersible pump had also been taken. He reported that he observed a suspicious vehicle and approached the female driver. The driver was later identified as Slate. The employee said when he approached Slate she asked him if he was going to “call the cops.” Another witness also spotted Slate’s vehicle and was able to positively identify it later. Slate said that she and her boyfriend would strip the coatings off the stolen copper wire and bring it in to be recycled.


Both the Sheriff’s Department Ag Crime Unit and the District Attorney’s Ag Crime Unit operate through the State funded Rural Crime Prevention Program administered by the Office of the Tulare County District Attorney. The Rural Crime Prevention program was developed by District Attorney Phil Cline to stop and prevent agricultural crime.

For more information on protecting agricultural operations contact the Rural Crime Prevention Unit at (559) 624-1054, the ACTION Project at (559) 624-1054 or the Sheriff’s Ag Crime Unit at (559) 740-4300. Information can be obtained on line at www.agcrime.net