Man pleads for sabotage of train tracks in Cleveland

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CLEVELAND (WJW) — A Cleveland man pleaded guilty Thursday to federal charges related to sabotaging railroad tracks in the city.

Joseph Findley was charged in November with four counts of violence against railroad companies and public transit systems.

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He was accused of placing “railroad spikes, tie plates and other pieces of metal” in the switch mechanism and guard rails at an “active” CSX railroad crossing near East 55th Street in Cleveland that is used by freight and Amtrak passenger trains, the indictment said.

The sabotage caused the wheels of one of the trains to derail, but they eventually returned to the tracks, FOX 8 News reported.

Surveillance footage shows Findley was on the scene five times between August and October 1 to get things back on track.

The charges alleged that Findley knew the sabotage would derail train cars. When he was arrested by federal authorities in October, he admitted to placing the spikes but denied that he intended to cause a derailment, FOX 8 News reported.

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Findley lived with his parents near the railroad tracks, FOX 8 News previously reported.

In November, he was given $20,000 bail and released.

Findley is scheduled to be sentenced on December 5. A judge has ordered a pre-sentence investigation.

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