Sarah Beth Clendaniel, 36, is a white supremacist who planned to "completely destroy" Baltimore's power grid. Her outspoken racism, online posturing and correspondence with another violent accellerationist drew the attention of authorities, who collared her before they could act. She's off to prison for 18 years in a plea deal that will keep her under supervised release for the rest of her life.
In a sentencing memorandum, US attorneys said that Clendaniel "engaged in the conspiracy to attack critical infrastructure in Maryland in furtherance of that accelerationist goal. If not thwarted by law enforcement, Clendaniel and her co-conspirator would have permanently destroyed a significant portion of the electrical infrastructure around Baltimore." Clendaniel was sentenced in US District Court for the District of Maryland by Judge James Bredar, who accepted the United States government's recommendation of 18 years. She was also sentenced to 15 years for being a felon in possession of a firearm; the sentences will run concurrently. Clendaniel received credit for time served since entering federal custody in February 2023. She was previously convicted of robberies in 2006 and 2016.
"Quite simply, the defendant is an unrepentant, violent white supremacist and recidivist who is a true danger to the community," US attorneys wrote of Clendaniel. "In light of her extensive criminal history, there is no reason to expect that a lighter sentence would have any deterrent or rehabilitative effect upon this defendant."
She also has to forfeit her guns, which seems like something that wouldn't need quite so much paperwork given the circumstances, but there you go.
