Neo-Nazi Leader Brandon Russell Faces Trial Over Baltimore Power Grid Attack Plot

Prosecutors argue Russell conspired to target electrical substations to incite chaos, while the defense claims FBI entrapment.

Brandon Clint Russell, founder of the neo-Nazi group Atomwaffen Division, is on trial for allegedly conspiring to attack Baltimore's power grid in 2023.
Prosecutors allege Russell encouraged his co-defendant and then-girlfriend, Sarah Beth Clendaniel, to conduct sniper attacks on substations to further their white supremacist agenda.
Clendaniel pleaded guilty in 2023 and was sentenced to 18 years in prison for her role in the plot, which aimed to cause chaos in predominantly Black communities.
Russell's defense argues he was entrapped by an FBI informant and that his involvement was limited to sharing publicly available information.
The planned attack could have caused tens of millions of dollars in damages, with prosecutors emphasizing Russell's active role in researching and strategizing the plot.