![]() ![]() Prosecutors said the suspects attacked four substations in the Tacoma area, causing more than $3 million in damage. In January, two men were arrested in Tacoma, Washington, and charged with conspiracy to damage energy facilities and possession of an unregistered firearm. Other extremists in the past have thought about different ways of attacking energy targets in the United States, whether through explosive devices, small arms attacks or some combination of those." "This perception of vulnerability, it's fairly easy to to walk up close to one unless it's guarded with lots of perimeter security. "Power grid targets have long been the focus of domestic extremists here in the United States," Ali, now a professor at the Ford School of Public Policy told ABC News. Russell allegedly instructed the informant to carry out an attack "when there is greatest strain on the grid," adding, "when everyone is using electricity to either heat or cool their homes," the affidavit says. is the greatest thing somebody can do," affidavit alleges. In a conversation last October, Russell allegedly told the informant that "putting holes in transformers. His arrest on those earlier charges came after a man he was living with in Tampa, Devon Arthurs, killed two of their roommates and told investigators that they had been plotting to attack a nuclear plant in Florida and other energy infrastructure.Īfter his release from prison, Russell allegedly began communicating in June 2022 with an FBI confidential informant he encouraged to carry out attacks against critical infrastructure, according to the affidavit. Russell had previously pleaded guilty in 2018 to charges of possessing an unregistered destructive device and was sentenced to five years in prison. Russell, who was the founder of the notorious neo-Nazi group Atomwaffen, was incarcerated when he first met Clendaniel and both were out on probation as they coordinated their plans to attack the energy facilities, according to an affidavit in the case unsealed Monday. The judge determined that Westerman should be released on home detention pending the appeal of his convictions.Peter Zay/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images, FILE He was also ordered to serve probation following the completion of his sentence.īefore handing down Westerman's sentence, Judge Truffer said there was no evidence of psychological injury to the rape victim, despite the victim's indication that she had sought therapy since the attack and the judge's previous statements that the incident "may be the most traumatic moment" of her life. ![]() The judge also sentenced Westerman to a day in jail for the second-degree assault of a second victim for what he characterized as a "boorish" act, according to the Baltimore County State's Attorney's Office. He sentenced Westerman to 15 years behind bars but suspended all but four years of home detention. A department spokesperson on Monday said Westerman has been fired.Īt Friday's sentencing hearing, Baltimore County Circuit Judge Keith Truffer withdrew one of the rape convictions and combined the sentences for the remaining counts, saying he had only intended to convict Westerman on one count of second-degree rape. ![]() Westerman was suspended without pay from the Baltimore County Police Department after the police department learned of his charges in December 2019. Officer Anthony Westerman, 27, was convicted in August of two counts of second-degree rape, one count of a third-degree sexual offense, one count of fourth-degree sexual offense and one count of second-degree assault, according to a search of online court records. ![]()
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