Washington State Man Faces Federal Charges for Damaging Two Portland Area Energy Facilities

PORTLAND, Ore.-A federal grand jury in Portland has returned an indictment charging a Tacoma, Washington, man with damaging two Portland area energy facilities.

Zachary Rosenthal, 33, has been charged with three counts of damaging an energy facility.

According to the indictment, on November 24 and 28, 2022, Rosenthal is accused of knowingly and willfully damaging two energy facilities-the Ostrander Substation in Oregon City, Oregon and the Sunnyside Substation in Clackamas, Oregon-with the intent of interrupting or impairing the function of both facilities. The indictment further alleges that Rosenthal caused damages exceeding $100,000 to the Ostrander Substation and $5,000 to the Sunnyside Substation. Both facilities are involved in the transmission and distribution of electricity.

A single accomplice, Nathaniel Adam Cheney, 30, of Centralia, Washington, is named alongside Rosenthal in charges stemming from the November 28, 2022, damage to the Sunnyside Substation.

A second indictment was also unsealed today charging Rosenthal with stealing firearms from a federal firearms licensee and illegally possessing firearms as a convicted felon. According to this indictment, in January 2023, Rosenthal is alleged to have stolen 24 firearms he was restricted from possessing from a federal firearms licensee in the Portland area.

Rosenthal made his initial appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was arraigned on both indictments, pleaded not guilty to all charges, and detained pending further court proceedings.

On April 10, 2023, Cheney made his first appearance in federal court. He was arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and released on conditions pending a two-day jury trial currently scheduled to begin on August 20, 2024.

Damaging an energy facility and causing more than $100,000 in damages is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison and three years' supervised release. Damaging an energy facility and causing more than $5,000 in damages is punishable by up to five years in federal prison and three years' supervised release.

This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). It is being prosecuted by Parakram Singh, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.