Dive Brief:
- A federal Joint Terrorism Task Force arrested Jason Woodring, 37, of Jacksonville, Arkansas, for multiple acts of sabotage to the power grid in Central Arkansas. Authorities did not release information as to what motivated the attacks in August, September and October.
- The first attack resulted in a power line falling on a railroad track and being severed by a passing train. In the second attack, a substation owned by Entergy was set on fire, causing $2 million in damage. The third incident downed a transmission line owned by First Electric Cooperative and caused 9,000 people to lose power.
Dive Insight:
The massive federal and state law enforcement effort brought to bear after the attacks could result in Woodring spending up to 20 years in prison and paying a fine of $250,000.