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, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Zachary Rosenthal, who is currently incarcerated by 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 Nov. 3.
According to the Western Washington indictment, between June and December 2022, Rosenthal conspired with others to damage six different power substations; the Toledo substation in Lewis County on Aug. 5, 2022; the Woodland 1 substation in Cowlitz County on Nov. 17, 2022; the Woodland 2 substation on Nov. 18, 2022; the Puyallup substation in Pierce County on Nov. 20, 2022; and the Tumwater substation in Thurston County on Nov. 22, 2022; and the attempted destruction to the Oakville substation in Grays Harbor County on Dec. 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, according to the news release.
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 co-conspirators damaged the substations through a variety of means including gunshots, smashing equipment and using heavy chains to cause short circuits.
The Oregon substation attacks occurred in the same timeframe as the Washington attacks on Nov. 24 and Nov. 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 of supervised release.
“The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations,” the news release states. “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.
