ELLICOTT CITY, Md. (AP) — An Upper Marlboro man has pleaded guilty in an elaborate scheme to steal $222,000 worth of railroad track.
Randy Penkert, 50, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to theft over $100,000, Howard County State's Attorney's Office said.
In October 2015, CSX railroad police were investigating an industrial park in Columbia where several hundred feet of rail, tie plates, bolts and spikes were missing, prosecutors said. Penkert was one of the workers at the scene, authorities said.
Penkert claimed to own a recycling company that was contracted to remove and scrap track, officials said. Penkert produced an alleged contract, which investigators determined to be fake.
Penkert faces a maximum of 15 years in prison at sentencing Aug. 25.