Earth Liberation Front member gets 42 months for vandalism [“I should be at school, studying.” ]

hamptonroads.com ^

[Sub-Driver]

Earth Liberation Front member gets 42 months for vandalism By SCOTT HARPER, The Virginian-Pilot © April 13, 2004 Last updated: 7:12 PM

Background Coverage: Extreme environmentalists target vehicles, buildings --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RICHMOND — Decrying environmental sabotage as “extremely troubling” and “arrogant,” a federal judge Monday sentenced a member of the radical Earth Liberation Front to 42 months in prison for a 2002 vandalism spree in greater Richmond that damaged new homes, SUVs, construction equipment and fast-food restaurants.

Aaron Labe Linas, 19, apologized in court for the property attacks – called “direct actions” by ELF, an underground environmental group considered a domestic terrorist organization by the FBI – and said he accepts his punishment.

“I should not be here today,” said Linas, dressed in a dark suit, his friends and family dabbing tears from their eyes at the back of the courtroom. “I should be at school, studying.”

Linas is the first of three former students at Douglas S. Freeman High School in Henrico County to be sentenced for conspiring to cause more than $200,000 in damage to vehicles and structures that ELF views as contributing to greed and environmental ruin. It is the first time in Virginia such a case has come to trial.

Co-defendants John Wade Burton, 19 , and Adam Virden Blackwell, 20 , are expected to receive similar federal prison terms when sentenced Wednesday and later this month.

The trio’s monkey-wrenching exploits often were carried out with kerosene, gasoline, sugar, axes, glass-defacing etching cream and threatening notes. Among the late-night actions against new subdivisions, McDonald’s restaurants and Ford dealerships, they also attempted to blow up a crane at Short Pump Town Center Mall in September 2002, when the 120-store complex was under construction in suburban Henrico County.

Matt Geary and Jeffrey Galston , attorneys for Linas, described their slender young client as bright, caring, passionate and determined. He was a Boy Scout, a camp counselor and had volunteered at a local nursing home.

He also was active in his school’s Friends of the Earth club, but soon became disillusioned by what he saw as corporate power and development interests constantly bowling over environmentalists trying to preserve nature. It was then he turned to ELF, which he found on the Internet.

“Unfortunately,” Geary said, “he allowed his passions for the environment ... to take him down the wrong path, to go too far.”

U.S. District Judge James R. Spencer said the case troubled him. He said Linas, from a comfortable middle-class background in suburban Richmond, had “probably never missed a meal ... had no reason to be angry at the world.”

Yet, Spencer said, Linas and his two fellow activists decided they knew what was best for the environment and society and took action against people and property they deemed wrong.

Spencer called this thinking “an arrogance that is deep and cutting,” and said it represents “the seed of destruction” in a free society.

Linas could have faced a harsher penalty, mostly because he destroyed evidence after discovering the FBI was on his trail.

Furthermore, prosecutors dropped any reference to the crime being an act of terrorism in exchange for Linas, Wade and Blackwell signing a plea agreement and cooperating with authorities.

Since then, Linas has been attending junior college and working a construction job. “Yeah, construction; isn’t that ironic?” Geary said.

Brian R. Hood , assistant U.S. attorney, said he might file papers that could lessen the 42-month prison stay, but described the environmental vandalism as “serious, violent felonies.”

[Sub-Driver]

should be 42 years, a bit light I'd say from the US DA....

[Catspaw]

“I should not be here today,” said Linas, dressed in a dark suit, his friends and family dabbing tears from their eyes at the back of the courtroom. “I should be at school, studying.”

Aaron, honey, don't do the crime if you can't do the time.

[EggsAckley]

"his passion for the environment....." Puhleeze!

Like he said, “I should be at school, studying.”

Too bad he didn't think of THAT back in 2002.

[TC Rider]

Exactly, EggsAckley!

(I always wanted to say that)

[steveo]

“I should be at school, studying.”
No, you should be in prison learning about the "Pirates of the Posterior."

[TC Rider]

Maybe the young man will get to visit Butner, NC.

I frequently get to shoot IDPA matches with the correction officers there.

They enjoy meeting radical young men and introducing them to the joys of pepper spray.

One of the COs shared the following story with us. A young man, new to the facility, decided to mouth off to my friend in the yard, rather than simply follow his instructions.

The COs carry fire extinguisher sized cans of pepper spray. My friend proceeded to thoroughly wet the young man down. As per prison regs, he then escorted the teary eyed young man to the showers.

The fellow continued to mouth off all the way to the showers. The CO watched and waited while the young man wetted down his face and hair. When the CO felt there was sufficient 'runoff' to wet the young mans tender regions, he turned off the water and took him back to his cell.

A slightly diluted solution of pepper spray on the family jewels is no fun.

[theDentist]

No sense in his going to school to study. He never learned to think in the first place. Now he's going to a new type of environment, a new learning experience. Wait'll the cons hear why this kid is in jail. He thinks it's tough now....

[Blue Screen of Death]

Short Pump Town Center Mall

Sounds like a cute name for his prison cell.

[Redemption]

RICHMOND — Decrying environmental sabotage as “extremely troubling” and “arrogant,” a federal judge Monday sentenced a member of the radical Earth Liberation Front to 42 months in prison for a 2002 vandalism spree in greater Richmond that damaged new homes, SUVs, construction equipment and fast-food restaurants. Burning homes? You can potentially kill people doing that. These terrorists shoud get life in prision, without parole!!! EnviroSCUM that they are!!!

[Solamente]

Perhaps the "Earth" will move for him once he settles in at prison. Ouch!

[Redemption]

oops. Let me redo that.

"RICHMOND — Decrying environmental sabotage as “extremely troubling” and “arrogant,” a federal judge Monday sentenced a member of the radical Earth Liberation Front to 42 months in prison for a 2002 vandalism spree in greater Richmond that damaged new homes, SUVs, construction equipment and fast-food restaurants."

Burning homes? You can potentially kill people doing that. These terrorists shoud get life in prision, without parole!!! EnviroSCUM that they are!!!

[Adrastus]

Young Aaron is quite right. Unfortunatly he was striken with a severe attack of the dumb a** and will have time to reflect on his transgressions. Old adage: Act in haste, repent at leisure.

[HighWheeler]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JANUARY 13, 2004
WWW.USDOJ.GOV
Main Street Centre 804/819-5400
600 E. Main Street Fax 804/771-2316
Richmond, Virginia 23219-2447

Contact: Ann Helms
(804) 819-5400



NEWS RELEASE

Paul J. McNulty, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, announced today guilty pleas of three members of the Earth Liberation Front ("ELF") on charges of conspiracy to destroy by fire vehicles and property used in interstate commerce. Adam Blackwell, age 20, pled guilty on December 18, 2003; Aaron Linas, age 18, pled guilty on January 7, 2004; and John Wade, age 18, pled guilty this morning. Each faces a maximum sentence of five years' imprisonment when sentenced by United States District Judge James R. Spencer in April. These are the first convictions in the country of ELF members.

ELF is an international group of people who use violence rather than legal means to draw public attention to environmental causes they choose to pursue. The greater Richmond area, including Goochland and Henrico Counties, was hit with such acts of eco-terrorism between July and October 2002. In all, over $200,000 in damage was done to businesses located in these areas. Some examples of the damage include:

pouring sugar into the gas and hydraulic tanks of construction vehicles and breaking the vehicles’ electrical systems;
defacing the glass windows of McDonald's and Burger King restaurants with etching cream;
destruction of the electrical systems, doors, and windows of homes under construction in Goochland County;
attempts to destroy a crane and other construction vehicles being used at a construction site for the Short Pump Town Center;
permanently marking the words AELF@ and ASUV@ on the windows and bodies of 25 SUVs at the Universal Ford dealership on Broad Street;
destruction of a Jeep owned by Whitten Brothers Jeep Chrysler by smashing windows and denting the vehicle's body with a bat or pipe, and slashing the leather seats; and
destruction of SUV’s at residences in Henrico County.
In each of these incidents, the perpetrators proudly left messages claiming responsibility on behalf of ELF.


The three defendants, all of Henrico County, were students of Douglas Freeman High School in the Spring of 2002 and were members of the Friends of the Earth environmental club - a legitimate extra-curricular activity of the school. However, they soon developed a reputation for having extreme views on the environment. They particularly did not like SUVs, McDonald’s and Burger King restaurants, and suburban sprawl. They became dissatisfied with legitimate means of environmental activism and turned to the violent and criminal means of ELF.

Wade and Linas were both juveniles at the time of the offenses and are being tried as adults because they were nearly 18 at the time of the offenses and engaged in sophisticated offenses that indicated adult behavior. Both Wade and Linas have waived the juvenile certification procedure, believing that they would be certified as adults for their conduct.

Each defendant has agreed to pay full restitution of $204,021.86, to the parties as set out in the plea agreements made available today. These figures were determined by the actual damages caused by the actions of these three individuals.

Mr. McNulty stated:

Make no mistake about it, this behavior endangers human life. Such violent conduct is not an appropriate way to express discontent with environmental policy and will not be tolerated.

Also announcing the pleas are Donald Thompson, Special Agent-In-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Richmond Resident Office; Goochland County Sheriff James L. Agnew; and Henrico County Chief of Police Col. H. W. Stanley, Jr.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brian Hood.

[Kay Ludlow]

At least the judge recognized it as criminal, and the DA didn't plea bargain down to a slap on the wrist. 42 months may not be enough, but it's better than the 'nothing' these kind of people have been getting.

[HighWheeler]

Here is the part that bothers me:

"The three defendants, all of Henrico County, were students of Douglas Freeman High School in the Spring of 2002 and were members of the Friends of the Earth environmental club - a legitimate extra-curricular activity of the school.

What a load of liberal crap these schools will endorse.

[Catspaw]

Now he's going to a new type of environment, a new learning experience.

Yes, yes he will. He's going to learn the true meaning of "Bubbalicious."

[Ann Archy]

It's about time these Eco-Geek terrorists got prison time!! They are going to be tasty little morsels in the Big House.

[Cowgirl]

Public school is exactly where he learned to be a terrorist.