North Dakota man sentenced for Kandahar Airfield wire theft

FARGO, N.D. – A North Dakota man has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison for his role in the theft of copper wire from Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan.

Federal prosecutors say 41-year-old Benjamin Guidry was sentenced Monday following his conviction for theft of government property.

In February 2013, Guidry was working for a local Afghan company. The government says evidence at trial showed he solicited two civilian contractors at Kandahar Airfield to obtain various materials for him in exchange for cash.

The contractors reported the defendant to U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Command, which set up a sting operation. Evidence at trial showed Guidry offered one of the contractors $4,000 for help stealing spools of copper worth about $54,000.

Guidry was apprehended after leaving the Air Force compound with the copper wire.