We are now reporting live from Des Moines, IA where Ruby Montoya, admitted DAPL saboteur, is being sentenced today in Federal Court for her efforts to impede the DAPL project with a campaign of vandalism in 2016 and 2017.
After originally pleading guilty, Montoya has repeatedly tried to cast blame on others in an attempt to reduce her prison sentence. In court today, she has cited “coercion” and “influence” of her codefendant, Jessica Reznicek. (A claim Reznicek has denied).
Montoya’s attorneys tried to have the sentencing conducted in a closed court, but the Judge rejected their request, stating that pleadings in this case had already been “over sealed” in a way that is “contrary to the public interest.”
Court discussion has repeatedly mentioned Montoya’s “proffers” to the government and various “statements” she has made to the government for which she has been granted immunity.
Montoya is seeking a minor role reduction from the court. Her attorney argued in court that for many of the charges against her, “She remained in the vehicle. She was not the one who struck the matches, she was not the one who put together the funds to continue the vandalism.”
Back in 2017 the pair we're seen publicly dismantling a sign of an Iowa agency that approved the pipeline, after which they we're immediately arrested. Unicorn Riot was there to record the incident.
We will announce the final results of sentencing, expected sometime in the next couple hours. Meantime you can get caught up on all the relevant details of here:
Montoya’s codefendant Jessica Reznicek was sentenced to 8 years in prison last year after federal prosecutors successfully used a “terrorism enhancement” clause (she was not convicted of any terror-related offense): unicornriot.ninja/2021/dapl-sabo…
Check out this article to learn more about Montoya's case and why she is facing a sentence of 8 years in prison. unicornriot.ninja/2022/prosecuto…
Want to support our continued reporting of #DAPL saboteurs Reznicek and Montoya? Please consider giving a one-time or monthly tax-deductible donation to our decentralized non-profit➡️unicornriot.ninja/donate/
When Dakota Access Pipeline (#DAPL) saboteur Ruby Montoya arrived at her sentencing hearing this morning in Des Moines, IA, we asked her if she had a comment about being labeled a terrorist by the government. She didn't respond.
Montoya's sentencing was originally scheduled to take 4 hours, but it went for nearly 6 hours today and will continue in the morning.
Her attorney called 3 witnesses and the prosecution called 1. Montoya is contesting Energy Transfer Partners' claims about the cost of damage to the pipeline. ETP claims those costs come to over $3M, but Montoya's expert witness states they were closer to $84,000.
Two of Montoya's witnesses attested to her mental health conditions including her history of PTSD, which they claim made her vulnerable to manipulation by others.
The prosecution called the former director of security for ETP, Russ Sweeney, who testified to the damages. He also testified that pipeline sabotage is very difficult to prevent as infrastructure is often in rural areas that are difficult to surveil and protect.
Dr. Anne Speckhard, director of the International Center for the Study of Violent Extremism, testified in Montoya's defense, stating Montoya's mental health allowed her to be manipulated by other activists, including her co-defendant Jessica Reznicek.
Speckhard testified about the "terrorist ideology" of radical Catholic and environmental direct action communities, claiming Montoya was manipulated by this ideology.
Sentencing will continue tomorrow 9/22/22, which will include discussion of the sentencing guidelines, as well as the "terrorism enhancement" that the government is seeking against Montoya.
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For more info about Ruby Montoya➡️unicornriot.ninja/?s=ruby+montoya
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