Neo-Nazi group leader sentenced to 20 years in prison for planned
Maryland power grid attack
[August 08, 2025]
By LEA SKENE
BALTIMORE (AP) — The founder of a Florida-based neo-Nazi group has been
sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for conspiring with his
girlfriend to plan an attack on Maryland’s power grid in furtherance of
their shared racist beliefs.
Brandon Russell, 30, was convicted by a jury earlier this year.
Prosecutors presented evidence detailing his longstanding affiliation
with white supremacist causes and his recent efforts to organize “sniper
attacks” on electrical substations around Baltimore.
During a sentencing hearing Thursday afternoon in federal court in
Baltimore, U.S. District Judge James Bredar excoriated the defendant for
his reprehensible views, saying Russell was clearly the brains behind
the operation, which sought to precipitate societal collapse by
targeting the energy infrastructure of a majority-Black city.
In the aftermath of the planned attacks, Russell and his co-defendant,
Sarah Beth Clendaniel, intended to “create their own bizarre utopia
populated by people who only look and think like they do,” Bredar said.
“Well, that’s not how it works,” the judge continued. “The law doesn’t
permit that. We don’t change course in this country via violent
overthrow.”
Bredar imposed the maximum sentence allowed for Russell’s conviction of
conspiracy to damage an energy facility. The judge also ordered a
lifetime of supervised release, including close monitoring of Russell’s
electronic devices.
Bredar previously sentenced Clendaniel to 18 years behind bars after she
pleaded guilty to her role in the plot. He said Russell should receive a
longer sentence because he was more culpable and contributed the
“intellectual horsepower” that propelled the plot closer to fruition.
The two were arrested in February 2023 — before their plans were
executed.
Russell’s attorney, Ian Goldstein, has argued that Clendaniel posed a
greater threat because she was taking steps to obtain a firearm and
shoot up electrical substations. Meanwhile, Russell was living in
Florida with absolutely no plans to travel to Maryland, according to his
attorney.
“For Mr. Russell, everything was talk,” Goldstein told the court.
[to top of second column]
|
Thomas J. Sobocinski, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Baltimore Field
Office, speaks during a news conference in Baltimore, Feb. 6, 2023.
(Amy Davis/The Baltimore Sun via AP, File)
He also pointed to Russell’s supportive family. Court papers filed
ahead of sentencing included a letter from his mother, who said she
believes he’s been trying to fill the void left by a largely absent
father. She said some challenges arose with her son after she moved
them back to the Bahamas, where she has relatives.
“Brandon Russell is an educated young man who has served this
country’s military,” his attorney wrote, connecting his descent into
Naziism with longstanding mental health challenges. “His family
relationships speak volumes of the person he can be.”
The judge wasn’t persuaded, but he noted Russell’s “somewhat
complicated psycho-social history” and recommended mental health
treatment during his time in prison.
Russell declined to address the judge directly. He appeared in court
wearing maroon prison attire and showed no obvious signs of emotion
during the hearing.
Several years ago, Russell co-founded the neo-Nazi group Atomwaffen
Division, which is German for “atomic weapon.”
This wasn’t his first run-in with law enforcement. In 2017, police
responded to a 2017 double homicide at a Tampa apartment building
and found Russell outside crying, dressed in military fatigues. One
of his roommates had killed the other two, officials said. During a
search of the house, police found a stash of highly explosive
materials and a cache of neo-Nazi signs, posters, books and flags.
Russell pleaded guilty to possession of an unregistered destructive
device and improper storage of explosives.
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved
 |
