Jason Woodring, 38, of Jacksonville, Arkansas, was sentenced
to 15 years in prison today on charges related to his attacks on Central Arkansas’
power grid between August and October 2013.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, Woodring will be required to
pay $4,792,224 in restitution to Entergy for his attacks on the power lines and
electrical tower near Cabot, Arkansas, and a switching station in Scott,
Arkansas. Woodring will also pay $48,729
to First Electric Cooperative for damage to the downed power lines and poles in
Jacksonville.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P.
Carlin, U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Thyer of the Eastern District of Arkansas,
Special Agent in Charge David T. Resch of the FBI’s Little Rock, Arkansas,
Division and Resident Special Agent in Charge Grover Crossland of the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Little Rock Field Office made
the announcement.
Today, U.S. District Court Judge Billy Roy Wilson of the
Eastern District of Arkansas accepted the plea agreement and imposed the
recommended 15-year sentence. On March
10, 2015, Woodring pleaded guilty to destruction of an energy facility for
downing the Cabot power lines and for setting fire to the Scott power
station. He also pleaded guilty to using
fire to commit a felony in relation to the arson in Scott, and to being an
illegal drug user in possession of various firearms and ammunition. Woodring also agreed to forfeit the firearms
and ammunition.
Woodring’s 2013 attacks included sabotaging an electrical
support tower and downing a 500,000-volt power line onto a railroad track near
Cabot, which resulted in approximately $550,000 worth of damage; setting fire
to and destroying an Extra High Voltage switching station in Scott, causing
over $4 million in damages; and cutting down two power poles, which led to the
temporary loss of power to approximately 9,000 people in Jacksonville. Woodring was charged in an eight-count
indictment by a federal grand jury on Nov. 6, 2013.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task
Force; ATF; Union Pacific Police; Entergy; First Electric; the Lonoke County,
Arkansas, Sheriff’s Office; Cabot Police; Arkansas State Police; the Conway,
Arkansas, Police Department; the Little RockPolice Department; and the Arkansas
Game and Fish Commission. The case was
prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael S. Gordon and Cameron Charles
McCree of the Eastern District of Arkansas, with the assistance of the National
Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
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