Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Arkansas Grid Attack Suspect Is Indicted
ELECTRIC CO-OP TODAY ^ | December 10, 2013 | Victoria A. Rocha

Posted on 12/15/2013 2:40:43 AM PST by Cindy

SNIPPET: "A federal grand jury has issued an eight-count indictment against a central Arkansas man accused of damaging electric cooperative and other power facilities.

Jason Woodring, 37, was indicted on charges relating to sabotage of high-voltage power lines and power stations earlier this year in several cities.

Among them: a terrorist attack against a railroad carrier and destruction of energy facilities, including a 115,000-volt transmission line owned by First Electric Cooperative in Jacksonville.

Woodring faces up to 20 years in prison on the energy facility destruction charges, and life in prison if convicted on the terrorism charge.

According to an FBI investigation, Woodring allegedly cut down two co-op poles Oct. 6, using a stolen tractor in one case. About 10,000 members lost power as a result, and First Electric spent about $100,000 to repair the damage."

(Excerpt) Read more at ect.coop ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; US: Arkansas; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: arksansas; cabot; electricalgrid; grid; jacksonville; jasonwoodring; meth; powergrid; powerlines; railroadtrack; sabotage; scot; terrorism; tractor; train; woodring; wording

1 posted on 12/15/2013 2:40:44 AM PST by Cindy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: All

NOTE The following text is a quote:

www.fbi.gov/littlerock/press-releases/2013/federal-grand-jury-returns-eight-count-indictment-against-jason-woodring

Federal Grand Jury Returns Eight-Count Indictment Against Jason Woodring
Includes Charge of Terrorist Attack Against Railroad Carrier

U.S. Attorney’s Office
November 06, 2013
Eastern District of Arkansas

LITTLE ROCK—Christopher R. Thyer, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced today that Jason Woodring, age 37, of Jacksonville, Arkansas, was indicted today by a federal grand jury on eight counts related to his attacks on the power grid in Central Arkansas. Woodring is currently in federal custody.

Woodring is charged in count one with a terrorist attack against a railroad carrier for his alleged August 21, 2013 sabotage of a high-voltage power line support tower. During the process of dismantling the tower, a power line fell on a nearby railroad track and was later struck by a passing train, severing the power line and causing a brief power outage in Cabot, Arkansas.

In counts two, three, and six of the indictment, Woodring is charged with the destruction of an energy facility. These charges stem from allegations that he attempted to destroy the support tower and the power lines it carried on August 21, 2013; that he set a fire on September 29, 2013, at an Extra High Voltage (EHV) switching station in Scott, Arkansas; and that he cut down two power poles, pulling down one with a stolen tractor on October 6, 2013, and causing a power outage in Jacksonville, Arkansas.

Count four of the indictment charges Woodring with use of a fire to commit a felony that is prosecutable in a United States court for the EHV station fire. Count five charges Woodring with maliciously damaging or destroying by fire the EHV station building.

Woodring is charged with possession of an unregistered short-barrelled shotgun with an obliterated serial number in count seven of the indictment. County eight alleges that Woodring is addicted to methamphetamine and as an illegal drug user he possessed two rifles, three shotguns, and multiple rounds of ammunition.

Lastly, the indictment includes two forfeiture allegations related to the weapons he possessed. Upon conviction of count seven, he would forfeit the short-barrelled shotgun, and upon conviction of count eight, Woodring would forfeit the additional weapons and ammunition.

Woodring faces up to life in prison and/or not more than five years of supervised release after prison for the terrorist attack against a railroad carrier. The charge of destruction of an energy facility carries a possible sentence of not more than 20 years in prison. Use of a fire to commit a felony has a statutory sentence of ten years consecutive to the underlying felony.

Malicious use of fire carries a possible sentence of not less than five years but not more than 20 years in prison. Woodring could also face not more than a $250,000 fine for each charge against him. Counts two through six each carry not more than three years of supervised release.

This investigation was conducted by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Union Pacific Police; Entergy; First Electric; Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office; Cabot Police; Arkansas State Police; Conway Police Department; Little Rock Police Department; and Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Gordon is prosecuting this case for the United States.

The charges set forth in an Indictment are merely allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.


2 posted on 12/15/2013 2:42:50 AM PST by Cindy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cindy
Was he trying to cut power to steal the copper? I know that is quite common and
the story doesn't mention his intentions.
3 posted on 12/15/2013 2:48:15 AM PST by MaxMax (Pay Attention and you'll be pissed off too! FIRE BOEHNER, NOW!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MaxMax
...the story doesn't mention his intentions.

As he was a meth addict, he needed no intentions. He just had a need to do something. Setting fires and pulling down poles with a stolen tractor seemed like a good idea at the time. Meth does that to a person.

4 posted on 12/15/2013 3:13:30 AM PST by Wingy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Wingy

Tea Party member?... /s


5 posted on 12/15/2013 3:45:09 AM PST by jsanders2001
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: jsanders2001

Slave of allah like the guy who wanted to blow up the Wichita airport recently?


6 posted on 12/15/2013 4:33:51 AM PST by Right Wing Assault
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Right Wing Assault

“terrorism charge”.........

All such charges need to carry a death penalty (might even work for the players of the “Knock-Out” game as well)


7 posted on 12/15/2013 5:45:36 AM PST by DaveA37
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson