Canadian man sentenced to 25 years for shootings that damaged pipeline and power station in Dakotas
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A Canadian man has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for shootings at an oil pipeline in South Dakota and an electrical substation in North Dakota that caused $1.7 million in damages after a judge found that his crimes met the definition of terrorism.
Cameron Smith, 50, was also ordered Monday to pay more than $2.1 million in restitution, the Bismarck Tribune reported, as well as fines totaling $250,000. He faces deportation after his release.
Smith, who is originally from the Toronto area but had been living in Astoria, Oregon, pleaded guilty last Septembe r to charges of destroying energy facilities for the incidents near Carpenter, South Dakota, in 2022 and in 2023 near Ray, North Dakota.
U.S. District Judge Daniel Traynor sentenced Smith to two consecutive 12 ½-year terms, far above federal sentencing guidelines that recommended 3 ½ to 4 ¼ years per count.
Prosecutor David Hagler said the higher sentence was justified because Smith's actions met the definition of terrorism by 'attempting to intimidate or coerce a civilian population.'
Defense attorney Douglas Passon argued against the longer sentence, describing Smith as a 'hyper-aware individual wanting to create awareness about climate change' who intentionally avoided harming anyone.
In the South Dakota incident, prosecutors said the damage inflicted by Smith caused a shutdown of a pump station on the Keystone XL Pipeline, which led to a leak that damaged neighboring land. Damages to transformers and other infrastructure at a North Dakota power substation caused outages to 243 customers.
Smith told the court his actions were driven by frustration after years of trying to raise awareness of climate change through lawful means. He said he chose remote locations to avoid harming people, and he argued for a lesser sentence, citing his autism and Crohn's disease.
'This is tantamount to a life sentence, and I don't think that's right,' Smith said. He expressed doubt he would receive adequate medical care while incarcerated.
'I won't survive this,' Smith said.
Traynor was not swayed.
'You ignored the rule of law in the United States and carried out your actions in a terrorist manner,' Traynor said. 'You did not engage in this conduct on a whim. You committed two separate attacks on critical infrastructure 10 months apart and traveled a great distance to do so.'
Passon told The Associated Press on Tuesday that they will appeal. He said the sentence was unjust given Smith's medical and mental conditions and disproportionate compared with similar crimes.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Miami Marlins join efforts to restore defaced Jackie Robinson and Minnie Miñoso mural
MIAMI (AP) — The Miami Marlins are joining efforts to restore the defaced mural of baseball legends Jackie Robinson and Minnie Miñoso in Miami's Overtown neighborhood, which was marked with racist graffiti last week. City of Miami Chairwoman Christine King announced Wednesday that she along with the Marlins, Urgent, Inc., Omni Community Redevelopment Agency, Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency and other community activists will lead the restoration at Dorsey Park, where community leaders said a 7-year-old boy first discovered the vandalism last Sunday and asked his mother what the words and the Nazi symbols meant. 'This vile assault was an attack on our values, history, and community,' King said in a statement. 'We are actively working with law enforcement and the public to identify the individual(s) responsible for this intolerable act. However, even in the darkest hours, light finds its way to shine. This is a reminder and testament to the strength of our community, coming together to restore peace, beauty, and pride to this neighborhood.' Police were investigating the incident but have not made any arrests. City workers have since partially covered the murals of Robinson and Miñoso, an Afro-Cuban player, with wooden boards. The murals are along a fence at Dorsey Park, where Negro League teams once played baseball. The Marlins' home ballpark loanDepot park is just a few miles from the park. 'In light of the deeply troubling acts of vandalism at Dorsey Park, the Miami Marlins today proudly stand in solidarity with the City of Miami Chairwoman Christine King, and our local leaders in unequivocally condemning this hateful and racist act,' said Marlins owner Bruce Sherman. 'Dorsey Park is not only a landmark of historical and cultural significance in South Florida — it is a powerful symbol of resilience, pride, and the enduring contributions of trailblazers to the game of baseball." Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball when he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 to become the first Black player. Miñoso became the league's first Afro-Latino player and the first Black player for the Chicago White Sox. The murals have been displayed in the park since 2011 and are a collaboration between artists Kyle Holbrook and Kadir Nelson and various community groups. ___ AP MLB:
Hamilton Spectator
21 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Los Angeles-area mayors demand that Trump administration stop stepped-up immigration raids
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dozens of mayors from across the Los Angeles region banded together Wednesday to demand that the Trump administration stop the stepped-up immigration raids that have spread fear across their cities and sparked protests across the U.S. They called on President Donald Trump to pull back on using armed military troops alongside immigration agents during the raids. National Guard members also have temporarily detained civilians during protests before turning them over to law enforcement, according to the commander in charge. 'I'm asking you, please listen to me, stop terrorizing our residents,' said Mayor Jessica Ancona of El Monte, who said she was hit by rubber bullets during a raid in her city. California's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, has asked a federal court to put an emergency stop to the military helping immigration agents across the nation's second-largest city. This week, guardsmen began standing protectively around agents as they carry out arrests. A judge set a hearing for Thursday. The military is now closer to engaging in law enforcement actions such as deportations, as Trump has promised as part of his immigration crackdown . The Guard has the authority to temporarily detain people who attack officers, but any arrests will be made by law enforcement. The president posted on the Truth Social platform that the city 'would be burning to the ground' if he had not sent in the military. Some 2,000 National Guard soldiers are in Los Angeles, and are soon to be joined by 2,000 more along with about 700 Marines, said Army Maj. Gen. Scott Sherman, head of Task Force 51, which is overseeing the deployment of National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles. Sherman said Wednesday that even though protests have calmed down in Los Angeles, he expects the situation will escalate . 'We are expecting a ramp up,' he said, noting that protests are bubbling up across the nation. 'I'm focused right here in LA, what's going on right here. But you know, I think we're, we're very concerned.' LA curfew will continue in downtown Police detained more than 20 people, mostly on curfew violations, on the first night of restrictions in downtown Los Angeles and used crowd-control projectiles to break up hundreds of protesters. But there were fewer clashes than on previous nights, and by daybreak, the downtown streets were bustling with residents walking dogs and commuters clutching coffee cups. LA's nightly curfew, which the mayor said would remain in effect as long as necessary, covers a 1-square-mile (2.5-square-kilometer) section that includes an area where protests have occurred since Friday in the sprawling city of 4 million. The city of Los Angeles encompasses roughly 500 square miles (1,295 square kilometers). 'If there are raids that continue, if there are soldiers marching up and down our streets, I would imagine that the curfew will continue,' Mayor Karen Bass said. Los Angeles police have made nearly 400 arrests and detentions since Saturday, the vast majority of which were for failing to leave the area at the request of law enforcement, according to the police department. Nine police officers have been wounded, mostly with minor injures. Protests have spread nationwide Officials in LA said the curfew was necessary to stop vandalism and theft by agitators after five days of protests, which have mostly been concentrated downtown. Demonstrations have also spread to other cities nationwide, including Dallas and Austin in Texas, and Chicago and New York, where thousands rallied and more arrests were made. Meanwhile in New York City, police said they took 86 people into custody during protests in lower Manhattan that lasted into Wednesday morning. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the vast majority of demonstrators were peaceful. A 66-year-old woman in Chicago was injured when she was struck by a car during downtown protests Tuesday evening, police said. Video showed a car speeding down a street where people were protesting. In Texas, where police in Austin used chemical irritants to disperse several hundred demonstrators Monday, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott's office said Texas National Guard troops were 'on standby' in areas where demonstrations are planned. Guard members were sent to San Antonio, but Police Chief William McManus said he had not been told how many troops were deployed or their role ahead of planned protests Wednesday night and Saturday. Authorities announce arrests in protests Two people accused of throwing Molotov cocktails at police during the LA protests over the weekend face charges that could bring up to 10 years in prison, the Justice Department announced Wednesday. No one was injured by the devices. One of the suspects is a U.S. citizen, and the other overstayed a tourist visa and was in the U.S. illegally, authorities said. 'We are looking at hundreds of people,' U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said. 'If you took part in these riots and were looking to cause trouble, we will come looking for you.' Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that 330 people in the country illegally have been arrested since Friday. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not immediately confirm that number when asked by The Associated Press. Instead, the department pointed to press releases naming over a dozen of those arrested by immigration authorities who had prior criminal convictions. Those who have been caught up in the nationwide raids include asylum seekers, people who overstayed their visas and migrants awaiting their day in immigration court. The protests began Friday after federal immigration raids arrested dozens of workers in Los Angeles. Protesters blocked a major freeway and set cars on fire over the weekend, and police responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades. Thousands of people have peacefully rallied outside City Hall and hundreds more protested outside a federal complex that includes a detention center where some immigrants are being held following workplace raids. Despite the protests, immigration enforcement activity has continued throughout the county, with city leaders and community groups reporting that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been present at libraries, car washes and Home Depot locations. School graduations in Los Angeles have increased security over fears of ICE action, and some have offered parents the option to watch on Zoom. ___ Taxin reported from Orange County and Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio. Associated Press writers Julie Watson in San Diego, Jesse Bedayn in Denver, Jim Vertuno in Austin, Texas, contributed to this report. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
New York Post
24 minutes ago
- New York Post
2 campers found dead on remote island in Lake Superior — 5 people were killed in less than a year on Great Lake
Two campers were found dead on a remote island in the middle of Lake Superior, according to officials — marking the fourth and fifth deaths on the Great Lake in less than a year. The two unidentified individuals were discovered by authorities Sunday in an isolated camping ground on Isle Royale National Park in Michigan, not far from the Canadian coastline, park rangers said in a statement. Isle Royale National Park, where two campers were found dead on Monday, according to authorities. AP Two park rangers traveled to the camp overnight after receiving two separate reports of dead bodies at a campsite on the remote island, the release stated. The bodies were discovered Monday by the rangers, who were also supported from the air via helicopter, officials said. The causes of death for the two campers are not known at this time. Isle Royale National Park, tucked away on the cusp of American territory above Michigan's Upper Peninsula, is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts and is comprised of 450 small islands, according to the NPS. Isle Royale, the main island, is roughly 50 miles long and 9 miles wide. Three people died in or near Lake Superior's national parks in 2024, according to reports. The wooded trails of remote Isle Royale National Park. AP A 70-year-old man died in July 2024 while scuba diving to see a 535-foot sunken steel ship in the Great Lake, The Detroit News reported. A 37-year-old woman died a month later after suffering a sudden medical emergency while walking in a remote location of Isle Royale National Park in August 2024, the outlet reported. In November, the body of 65-year-old John Kueber washed up on the shore of Michigan's Miners Beach, roughly 150 miles from Isle Royale National Park, according to an NPS statement.
