Ex-National Guardsman and a Maryland Woman Plotted to “Lay This City to Waste”
A former Florida Army National Guardsman was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison today for a plot to cripple the Baltimore-area power grid. Brandon Clint Russell, 30, of Orlando, Florida, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar, who also sentenced Russell to a lifetime of supervised release.
Russell, who prosecutors say was motivated by “racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist beliefs,” conspired with Sarah Beth Clendaniel, 37, of Catonsville, Maryland, to attack multiple electrical substations.
READ: Lakeland Nurse Gets 5+ Years For Stealing Fentanyl From 5 Tampa Bay Area Hospitals
The duo’s plan was to cause a “cascading failure” that could have caused over $75 million in damages and left thousands of people without power.
Clendaniel, who was sentenced earlier this year to 18 years in prison, told investigators that a successful attack on four to five substations “would probably permanently completely lay this city to waste.”
U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Kelly O. Hayes, said in a statement, “Russell allowed hatred to drive him and his co-conspirator to plot a dangerous scheme that could have harmed thousands of people. The sentence imposed today reflects the gravity of Russell’s egregious conduct and his ongoing threat to public safety.”
READ: Appeals Court Vacates Contempt Order Against Trump Officials In Alien Enemies Act Case
The plot was uncovered by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, which worked with law enforcement partners from Maryland to Florida to disrupt the planned attack. Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office praised the “swift and thorough coordination” that “disrupted this significant threat to Maryland.”
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Connect with us: Follow the Tampa Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for breaking news and updates.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
