Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Seattle – A 33-year-old former Tacoma resident was indicted by a federal grand jury earlier this month for conspiracy to destroy energy facilities and six counts of destruction or attempted destruction of an energy facility, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Zachary Rosenthal, who is currently incarcerated in the Washington State Department of Corrections for vehicular assault, was indicted in Oregon last July for damaging two energy facilities in Portland. The Oregon case is scheduled for trial on November 3, 2025.
According to the Western Washington indictment, between June and December 2022, Rosenthal conspired with others to damage six different power substations in western Washington: the Toledo substation in Lewis County on August 5, 2022; the Woodland 1 substation in Cowlitz County on November 17, 2022; the Woodland 2 substation on November 18, 2022; the Puyallup substation in Pierce County on November 20, 2022; and the Tumwater substation in Thurston County on November 22, 2022; and the attempted destruction to the Oakville substation in Grays Harbor County on December 5, 2022. The indictment charges five counts of destruction of an energy facility, and one count of attempted destruction of an energy facility for the Oakville substation attack.
The indictment calls for forfeiture of proceeds of the criminal scheme which appears to have been an attempt to burglarize businesses and ATMs when the power was out, and alarm systems might be down.
The attacks on the power stations resulted in power outages ranging from about 1,000 customers to 6,000 customers per substation.
Rosenthal and his coconspirators damaged the substations through a variety of means including gunshots, smashing equipment, or using heavy chains to cause short circuits.
The Oregon substation attacks occurred in the same timeframe as the Washington attacks, on November 24 and 28, 2022.
Damaging an energy facility with intent to cause a significant interruption and impairment of the function of the facility is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg.