Midwest ELF Snitch Ian Wallace Sentenced to 3 Years
Ian Wallace, formerly of the Twin Cities and recently attending college at Stony Brook (NY), was sentenced to three years in prison this week for his role in placing two failed firebombs at U.S. Forest Service buildings where tree "research" was being conducted on the campus of Michigan Tech University in 2001. Walllace and another traveled from Minneapolis to upper Michigan for the action, according to the cooperating plea agreement he signed on September 5, 2008. He faced a maximum of 10 years in prison.
In the plea agreement from last year, Wallace also admitted involvement in three other acts. Two were in Saint Paul: sabotage of a building and vehicles at a U.S. Forest Service research station in 2000 (loss $25,186), and arson of the construction site of what is today the Cargill Building for Microbial and Plant Genomics on the University of Minnesota campus (loss $630,000). He also admitted to involvement and named three other activists responsible for the destruction of 500 research trees in Rhinelander, Wisconsin.
From midwestgreenscare.org:
Though we believe that most (though not necessarily all) statutes of limitations on these acts have expired by now, we are nonetheless urging folks throughout the Midwest and the country to bear in mind that Wallace’s cooperation may still result in indictments of other people. This only highlights the need for the development of strong radical networks able and ready to resist State repression. We encourage you to start educating yourself and your community about non-cooperation with the State and to keep building movements of resistance to the system in all its oppressive manifestations.
Earlier this year, Bryan Lefey (who took a non-cooperating agreement) was sentenced to 3 years in prison for the Rhinelander action, and Katherine Christianson (who took a cooperating agreement) was sentenced to 2 years. Daniel McGowan, serving a 7 year sentence currently at the odious "Communication Management Unit at USP Marion, was the third activist involved. McGowan had his sentence frozen last year when he refused to give information to a grand jury. Aaron Ellringer, who drove the activists to the Rhinelander site, cooperated with the government and was sentenced to four days in jail.
Wallace will apparently report to prison on June 1.
corporate news:
http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/michigan/index.ssf?/base/news-63/12378236...
http://www.connectmidmichigan.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=277218
wallace's plea:
http://midwestgreenscare.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/wallace-plea-agreem...
other coverage:
http://snitchwire.blogspot.com/2009/03/snitch-ian-wallace-sentenced-to-t...
North American Earth Liberation Front Press Office: