A Centralia, Washington resident has admitted to damaging a power substation in the Portland area. Nathaniel Cheney, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of damaging an energy facility.
Court records state that on November 28, 2022, Cheney and others caused $26,000 worth of damage to the Sunnyside substation located in Clackamas, Oregon. The damage targeted control equipment essential for the substation’s operations.
On March 12, 2024, a federal grand jury indicted Cheney on charges related to damaging an energy facility. He now faces up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for February 18, 2026 before a U.S. District Court Judge.
As part of his plea agreement, Cheney will pay restitution in full as recommended by the government.
The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with support from the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Parakram Singh and Geoffrey Barrow are prosecuting the case as Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
