Latest Legal News from the Criminal Courts of Los Angeles, California and the U.S.

January 01, 2008

Self-proclaimed Leader of Earth Liberation Front Pleads Guilty To Demonstrating The Use of a Destructive Device

United States Attorney Karen P. Hewitt announced that Rodney Adam Coronado, a self-proclaimed leader of the radical environmental group Earth Liberation Front (“ELF”), pled guilty today in federal court in San Diego before the Honorable Jeffrey T. Miller to a one-count felony indictment charging him with demonstrating the use of a destructive device.

As part of his plea, Coronado admitted that on August 1, 2003, at a public gathering in the Hillcrest neighborhood of San Diego, he advocated the use of arson to effect political change. Coronado first described his past criminal conduct to the crowd, including sinking whaling ships and burning research facilities to the ground. Coronado then spoke approvingly of arson as the most effective way to advance his radical environmental agenda. At the end of his speech on August 1, 2003, Coronado committed the crime to which he pled guilty when he taught and demonstrated the making and use of a destructive device, with the intent that the device be used to commit arson.

Specifically, just hours after a large arson fire had destroyed an apartment complex under construction in the University Towne Center (UTC) area of San Diego, Coronado described and demonstrated for the
gathering how to make a crude incendiary device using a plastic container filled with fuel mixture, a sponge, and an incense stick.

United States Attorney Hewitt stated, “This prosecution and the defendant’s guilty plea demonstrate that the case against Rodney Coronado was always about his felony criminal conduct, not his speech. The law does not protect those who cross the line to advocate violence by providing the tools and the roadmap for others to commit arson in the name of radical-environmental causes. The government remains committed to preventing the violence that may result from this type of dangerous conduct.”

FBI Special Agent in Charge Keith Slotter commented, “Terrorism, either international or domestic, is the first priority of the FBI. Individuals like Mr. Coronado, who destroy property and instill fear in their fellow Americans, will be aggressively investigated by the FBI and our Joint Terrorism Task Force. We will pursue those who advocate violence and destruction, regardless of personal or political agenda.”

John T. Torres, Special Agent in Charge, Los Angeles Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, stated, “When organizations such as ELF/ALF encourage senseless acts of violence, it threatens us all. ATF will continue to aggressively pursue these types of cases, and bring this type of criminal activity to a halt.”

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CALIFORNIA CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYER

JOSEPH SHEMARIA

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Latest Legal News from the Criminal Courts of Los Angeles, California and the U.S.