Former San Pedro engineer pleads guilty to terrorism charge for derailing train near USNS Mercy

A erstwhile San Pedro bid technologist who derailed a bid adjacent the USNS Mercy past twelvemonth successful an effort to ram the vessel pleaded blameworthy to a coercion complaint connected Thursday, Dec. 16, officials said.

Eduardo Moreno, 45, was an technologist astatine the Port of Los Angeles erstwhile he ran the locomotive astatine afloat speed disconnected the extremity of railroad tracks connected March 31, 2020, the Department of Justice said.

In an interrogation with Los Angeles Port Police, helium told investigators helium did it due to the fact that helium was suspicious of the Navy infirmary vessel and that it had an alternate intent related to COVID-19 oregon a “government takeover,” officials said. In different interrogation with FBI agents, Moreno besides said helium did it successful an effort to “wake radical up,” the Department of Justice said.

The USNS Mercy came to San Pedro a fewer days earlier to dainty patients who were believed to not person COVID-19, arsenic portion of an effort to escaped up infirmary abstraction for those who mightiness person the virus.

Moreno pleaded blameworthy to 1 number of committing a violent onslaught and different unit against railroad carriers and wide proscription systems. His sentencing was scheduled for March 11 and faces up to 20 years successful prison, the Department of Justice said.

While nary 1 was injured, the bid did not spell adjacent capable to the vessel to harm it, and determination was a mean diesel state leak owed to the derailing. Moreno caused astir $700,000 successful damages, the Department of Justice said.