Ill-starred orca avenger to plead guilty to misdemeanor

SEATTLE — A man who severely shocked himself when he cut a power line on Orcas Island to avenge a killer whale’s death is expected to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Miyake says the government won’t seek any prison time for 26-year-old Gabriel Mondragon, who lost an arm and a couple toes when he was shocked March 15. Mikaye says the defendant has “suffered quite a bit already.”

Mondragon told authorities he cut the high-voltage line to protest the death of an orca named Luna, who was killed in 2006 by a boat propeller. He said he blamed “rich white people” for the whale’s death and the depletion of rain forests.

About 4,000 Orcas Power and Light customers lost service for about 90 minutes.

Mondragon is expected to plead guilty by next week to the misdemeanor charge of destroying government property, which was filed today in U.S. District Court.

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