CATONSVILLE, MD—Sarah Beth Clendaniel, 36, of Catonsville, pleaded guilty today to charges of conspiring to damage or destroy electrical facilities in Maryland.
Court documents revealed that Clendaniel and Florida resident Brandon C. Russell, who awaits trial on similar charges, share white supremacist beliefs and advocate for “accelerationism,” a concept promoting violent action to trigger societal collapse.
In interactions since December 2022, Clendaniel conspired with Russell and others to target energy facilities crucial to the Baltimore region’s power grid. She admitted to planning these attacks over encrypted communication applications as part of her guilty plea.
They aimed to strike multiple substations to maximize impact simultaneously, a plan confirmed through their discussions with a confidential human source.
On January 29, Clendaniel outlined her plans to target five specific substations around Baltimore, intending a widespread and potentially irreversible disruption of the city’s infrastructure. During a search on February 3, authorities found firearms and ammunition in her residence, items she is prohibited from possessing due to prior felony convictions.
Clendaniel faces up to 20 years in prison for the conspiracy charge and an additional 15 years for felon in possession of firearms. Her sentencing is scheduled for September 3. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland with assistance from the DOJ’s Counterterrorism Section.