Woman Faces Prison After Plotting with Neo-Nazi to Destroy Baltimore Power Grid
Sarah Beth Clendaniel, a Maryland resident with a history of white supremacist views, was sentenced to 18 years in prison for her role in a neo-Nazi plot aimed at attacking Baltimore’s power grid. Clendaniel conspired with Brandon Russell, a co-founder of the Atomwaffen Division, a neo-Nazi group, to carry out sniper attacks on electrical substations.
This plot, had it been successful, could have resulted in significant damage, with estimates suggesting repair costs could exceed $75 million due to the potential for widespread power outages across much of Maryland.
The sentencing came after Clendaniel pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy to damage electrical facilities and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Her defense highlighted her troubled background, marked by childhood trauma, addiction, and mental health issues, which were believed to have influenced her radicalization. Despite these mitigating factors, the court, emphasizing the threat her actions posed to public safety, sentenced her to the term recommended by prosecutors and mandated lifetime supervision upon her release.
Evidence against Clendaniel included recorded conversations where she discussed obtaining a high-powered rifle to execute the attack on five substations around Baltimore. The plot was foiled through the cooperation of a confidential informant and FBI intervention. Judge Bredar, in his ruling, made it clear that while Clendaniel’s beliefs were not on trial, her readiness to act on those beliefs with potentially catastrophic consequences warranted severe punishment.
The case underscores the ongoing domestic threats from extremist groups and the legal system’s response to such threats.
