William Cottrell

William Cottrell is a former Caltech student who was sentenced to eight years in jail and $3.5 million in restitution in April 2005 for fire-bombing and destroying approximately 125 SUV s. Prior to enrolling at Caltech in the fall of 2002 as a graduate student in physics, Cottrell attended the University of Chicago. In the summer of 2003, Cottrell and a friend, Tyler Johnson, developed a plan to place bumper stickers on SUVs reading "My SUV Supports Terrorism." In a series of e-mails that were later recovered by the FBI, Cottrell attempted to recruit his friends to help him purchase the bumper stickers. In August, Cottrell, Johnson, and Johnson's girlfriend Michie Oe are alleged to have vandalized several SUV dealerships with spray paint. At the final dealership, Clippinger Hummer, a number of SUVs were destroyed by fires started by Molotov cocktails. Cottrell and his lawyers allege that the fires were started by Johnson, while the FBI alleged that Cottrell was also directly involved.

After the arsons, the FBI initially arrested Josh Connole, a peace activist from Pomona. They were eventually forced to release Connole, although they refused for over a year to acknowledge his innocence. After Connole's arrest, the Los Angeles Times was e-mailed from a Caltech computer by a person alleged to have been Cottrell. This person claimed responsibility for the arsons, mocked the FBI, and mentioned the previously undisclosed detail that Euler's Theorem had been spray painted on several vehicles. The FBI traced the e-mail to Caltech, and in the early months of 2004 interviewed numerous witnesses at Caltech and eventually arrested Cottrell. The FBI investigation, let by Special Agent Richard Smith, failed to apprehend Johnson, who was able to flee the country.

An informal network of Cottrell supporters sprang up, led the Earth Liberation Front Prisoner's Network and the Free Billy Cottrell organization. These supporters claimed that Cottrell was the innocent victim of government persecution. Cottrell eventually hired lawyers who claimed that Cottrell was a sufferer of Asperger's Syndrome, and had a "beautiful mind." At his trial, Cottrell admitted being present, but denied involvement in the most serious charges of throwing Molotov cocktails. He named Johnson as the mastermind, a move which prompted his Free Billy Cottrell supporters to brand him as a traitor and end all support. Cottrell was eventually acquitted on the most serious charge of throwing a Molotov cocktail, but was convicted on lesser charges and is currently serving time in a federal prison in Lompoc. The FBI has made no public announcements about whether they have made any progress in apprehending Johnson.

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William Cottrell