Sarah Beth Clendaniel, a woman from Catonsville, Maryland, pleaded guilty to conspiring to damage or destroy electrical facilities near Baltimore with the help of a co-conspirator, Brandon C. Russell of Florida, for white supremacist reasons aimed at breaking down society. Clendaniel and Russell advocated the white supremacist ideology of “accelerationism,” believing that violent actions are necessary to cause a collapse of the government. They planned to disrupt the distribution of electricity in Baltimore by attacking energy facilities between December 2022 and February 2023.
Clendaniel communicated and plotted the attacks on energy facilities using encrypted communication applications, admitting to the plans when she pleaded guilty. She, along with Russell, told a confidential human source about their intentions to attack the Baltimore power grid, discussing targeting multiple substations simultaneously. In a message to the source, Clendaniel confirmed her support for the attack and revealed that she lived near Baltimore, was a felon, and unsuccessfully tried to obtain a rifle. She asked the source to purchase a rifle for her to “accomplish something worthwhile.”
During their conversations, Clendaniel mentioned identifying possible locations to target, directing the source to be the driver while she would be the shooter. On January 29, 2023, Clendaniel revealed her plan to target five substations, including Norrisville, Reisterstown, and Perry Hall, with the goal of causing significant destruction to the city of Baltimore. She described how hitting these substations would lay waste to the city, suggesting that a few shots through the centers of the substations would achieve this goal.
Clendaniel shared five links to an “Open Infrastructure Map,” indicating the locations of specific Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) electric substations that she planned to target. Law enforcement officials conducted a search warrant at Clendaniel’s residence on February 23, 2023, discovering various firearms and ammunition. As a convicted felon for robbery and attempted robbery, Clendaniel was unlawfully possessing firearms. She pleaded guilty to conspiracy and felony possession of firearms charges, facing a maximum of 20 years in prison for the conspiracy charge, 15 years for possession, and a lifetime of supervised release for conspiracy.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) reported that both Clendaniel and Russell believed that attacking the five substations would serve the cause of “accelerationism” and help break down society. Russell, the co-conspirator, is awaiting trial on the same charge. The concept of accelerationism, based on accelerating the collapse of the current system, led Clendaniel and Russell to plan violent actions to trigger a government collapse in Baltimore. The DOJ further stated that Clendaniel had a specific plan to target the substations, emphasizing the potential for significant destruction to the city’s infrastructure and society.
Clendaniel’s admission of guilt in the conspiracy to damage or destroy electrical facilities near Baltimore reveals the extent of her involvement in the plot to disrupt the city’s power grid. By communicating and planning with a co-conspirator and sharing detailed information about the potential targets, Clendaniel demonstrated a clear commitment to carrying out the attacks. The recovery of firearms and ammunition at her residence reinforced the seriousness of the situation. As she faces sentencing and potential prison time, the case highlights the dangers posed by individuals espousing white supremacist ideology and engaging in violent actions based on extremist beliefs.
