Three Chadron brothers have been charged with stealing water and sewer service from the city, with the oldest brother taken into custody on unrelated warrants.
40-year old Charles Canady jr, 33-year old Del Canady, and 30-year old Gage Canady are all charged with or expected to be charged with theft of utility services.
Charles Canady, who has an extensive criminal record, is being held on Dawes County warrants for violating probation through possession of drugs and with being a fugitive from justice. A drug charge is also expected. His bail is $250,000.
Chadron Police Sgt Jarvis Wallage says water service to the Canaday house was disconnected in mid-2019, but city utility officials determined it had been illegally turned back on multiple times since then.
When a search warrant was served Jan 21, officers discovered the water was back on. They seized a city water meter and 2 metal tools believed to have been used to turn water valves, but they also seized suspected drug paraphernalia.
Charles Canaday came to statewide attention in Dec 2016 when he and a second man walked away from the State Work Ethic Camp near McCook. Canady was serving 6 to 24 years for burglary, theft, and criminal mischief.
He remained at large for nearly 11 months before being arrested attempting to flee when officers made a search warrant raid on his home in Chadron..
Canaday pleaded No Contest in March 2018 to operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest and possession of methamphetamine. He was sentenced to 3 years in prison with credit for 188 days time served.
Del and Gage Canady pleaded guilty at the same time to misdemeanors stemming from the same raid. Both were given 350 days in jail, but credit for 188 days already spent behind bars saw them released immediately under good time rules.