James B. "Freeway Jimmy" Taylor, leader of a gang of thieves that stripped hundreds of thousands of dollars of copper wiring from freeway lighting systems, drew a 10-year prison sentence yesterday from Circuit Judge Karen Ahn.

Taylor earlier pleaded guilty to three of four charges brought against him last year. Ahn sentenced him yesterday to serve concurrent 10-year prison terms for criminal conspiracy, racketeering and money laundering.

Taylor's wife, Regina Foster, who handled the finances of the copper theft gang, earlier drew the same 10-year prison sentence from Ahn.

Prosecutors said the group struck more than 12 sites on H-1 and H-2 freeways, some more than once, stripping out 72,000 pounds of copper wiring worth more than $563,000.

The metal was sold at Hawai'i recycling centers and some of the proceeds were used to finance methamphetamine habits, according to the state.