South Dakota
Canadian man pleads guilty to damaging energy facilities in North and South Dakota
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – A Canadian man entered a guilty plea after he admitted to firing a high-power rifle into energy equipment in both of the Dakotas.
According to the US Department of Justice, Cameron Smith, a Canadian citizen, fired multiple rounds into the equipment at both the Wheelock substation in North Dakota and the Keystone Pipeline in South Dakota.
The incident at the Wheelock substation, near Ray, North Dakota, happened in May of 2023.
The incident at the Keystone Pipeline, near Carpenter, South Dakota, happened in July of 2022.
The damage was estimated to be over $200,000 and disrupted services in both states.
Smith’s sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. He faces two counts of Destruction of an Energy Facility and a maximum of 20 years in prison for each count.
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