Former Puyallup man sentenced to 3 years probation for power substation attacks

TACOMA, Wash. - A man formerly from Puyallup was sentenced to three years of probation and one year of home confinement for conspiracy to destroy energy facilities across western Washington.

Matthew Greenwood, 32, pleaded guilty in April 2023, admitting that he and his co-defendant, 40-year-old Jeremy Crahan, vandalized four power substations and plotted to take out power lines by cutting down trees. Both men were arrested before the tree plan was put into action.

According to court documents, these attacks were part of a scheme to disrupt power to ATMs and businesses so they could steal money.

Greenwood and Crahan attacked four substations on December 25, 2022, including:

• Hemlock Substation in Puyallup (owned by Puget Sound Energy)
• Elk Plain substation in Spanaway (owned by Tacoma Power)
• Graham substation in Graham (owned by Tacoma Power)
• Kapowsin Substation in Graham (owned by Puget Sound Energy)

Greenwood elected to enter a drug treatment program, and according to Chief U.S. District Judge David Estudillo, he has made great progress since his arrest. Prosecutors reccommended a probationary sentence so that Greenwood could move toward a drug-free and law-abiding life.

As for Crahan, he was not successful in drug treatment and was sentenced in December to 18 months in prison.