ST. LOUIS – A Missouri man on Friday admitted stealing railroad equipment on 33 occasions in Missouri and Illinois, costing railroads more than $1.5 million.
Jesse Henry, 21, of Laclede County pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of damaging a railroad signal system. He admitted being responsible for a total of 33 thefts out of different railroad bungalows in Missouri and Illinois in 2022 and 2023. Henry stole railroad control equipment, signs, plans and blueprints from the bungalows, which are metal structures that contain railroad gear.
In the Spring of 2023, railroads noticed an increase in thefts and contacted local and federal law enforcement. Among the items that were stolen was a crossing controller at the Seeger Lane crossing in Foristell, Missouri on August 8, 2023. A passing train crew noticed that the crossing signal was not functioning and the gates blocking the road were down, creating a danger if vehicles drove around the gates. The FBI traced the theft to Henry and performed a court-approved search of his family’s home near Richland, Missouri on Nov. 28, 2023. They recovered the crossing controller from Foristell, as well as blueprints, schematics, documents, dozens of signs and other items.
Henry is scheduled to be sentenced on June 4. The crime is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine.
The FBI investigated the case, with the assistance of the railroads. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lang is prosecuting the case.
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