Idaho man shot at dams, spurred by ‘anti-government’ ideals. He won’t do prison time

Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — A Meridian man who changeable astatine and damaged 2 Idaho hydroelectric dams astir a twelvemonth agone was sentenced to probation and ordered to salary restitution to Idaho’s largest utility.

District Judge B. Lynn Winmill sentenced Randy Vail, 59, to 5 years of probation and ordered him to pay astir $550,000 to Idaho Power for damaging its equipment, according to a news merchandise from nan U.S. lawyer for nan District of Idaho.

Last June, Vail rode his motorcycle to nan apical of Hells Canyon Dam precocious astatine nighttime and fired a firearm astatine powerfulness substations. An hr later, he did nan aforesaid astatine Brownlee Dam. Idaho Power said nan shootings caused a little powerfulness outage and damaged equipment.

After nan shooting, Vail fled from sheriff’s deputies successful Washington County arsenic they attempted to propulsion him over. Charges related to that incident were dropped to forestall double prosecution connected nan aforesaid charges, authorities officials told nan Idaho Statesman.

Vail initially faced 2 counts of demolition of an power facility. He pleaded blameworthy to a azygous complaint successful March, while nan 2nd was dismissed astatine nan prosecutor’s request. Each charged carried a anticipation of 20 years successful prison.

Vail’s actions were motivated by “anti-law enforcement and anti-government sentiment,” according to nan news release. While Vail was incarcerated, he told loved ones nan authorities is “illegitimate” and said he didn’t admit nan authority of judges, sheriffs, nan politician aliases nan national government, nan news merchandise said. Vail’s statements were made to family members during calls that were recorded.

“In Vail’s ain words, he wanted to ‘make a statement’ and stated that ‘we request a gyration aliases a civilian war,’” nan U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit said successful nan news merchandise that Vail’s actions put nan powerfulness proviso astatine risk. He clarified that Vail was prosecuted for his forbidden conduct, not his beliefs, which officials said stemmed successful portion from reference and watching online conspiracy theories and anti-government propaganda.

“This lawsuit shows that our measurement of life is threatened erstwhile group statesman to judge that ideology tin someway warrant violence,” Hurwit said. “It ne'er does.”

Substations successful North Carolina, Washington and Oregon were damaged successful attacks past year. At 1 point, nan Department of Homeland Security warned successful a bulletin that “domestic convulsive extremists” person looked astatine attacking electrical and communications infrastructure “as a intends to create chaos and beforehand ideological goals.”