Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Three Men Plead Guilty to Plot to Attack U.S. Power Grids in Support of White Supremacist Ideology
Columbus, OH – February 23, 2022
Three men have pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide material support to terrorists in connection with a domestic terrorism plot aimed at attacking U.S. power grids. Their actions were motivated by white supremacist ideology, aiming to cause widespread unrest and economic disruption.
According to court documents, Christopher Brenner Cook, 20, of Columbus, OH; Jonathan Allen Frost, 24, of West Lafayette, IN; and Jackson Matthew Sawall, 22, of Oshkosh, WI, admitted to planning a coordinated attack on energy facilities. Each was assigned a substation in a different U.S. region, intending to destroy energy infrastructure using high-powered rifles. The conspirators believed this would cause prolonged blackouts, leading to civil unrest, economic collapse, and even a race war.
“This disturbing plot, rooted in hate and aimed at destabilizing the nation, underscores the Justice Department’s commitment to identifying and stopping acts of terrorism,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen. “We will hold accountable those who conspire to inflict harm on our communities.”
The FBI investigation revealed that the group began organizing in 2019 through online forums. Frost and Cook recruited Sawall, and the trio shared extremist literature and operational plans. In February 2020, the group met in Columbus, OH, where Frost provided Cook with a firearm and suicide necklaces filled with fentanyl to use if apprehended. During this meeting, the group also painted a swastika flag with propaganda under a park bridge.
The plan unraveled after a traffic stop where Sawall ingested his suicide pill but survived. Subsequent investigations exposed the full extent of their plot. The defendants face up to 15 years in prison, with sentencing set for November 4, 2022, in Columbus, OH.
BestHire’s Commitment to Diligence
In August 2022, one of the defendants applied for employment in Oshkosh, WI. BestHire takes pride in conducting thorough background checks for every client, reinforcing the importance of vigilant hiring practices.
For further information, contact:
Carl Slicer, CEO
860-872-0055, www.BestHire.com, CSlicer@BestHire.com
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#BackgroundChecks #EmployeeScreening #WorkplaceSafety #CommunitySafety
#FBIInvestigation #JusticeServed #ProtectAndServe #SafeHiring