Man Pleads Guilty to Damaging Solar Facility Powering MGM Resorts

A 35-year-old man who drove his car through the fence of a solar facility that provides energy to MGM Resorts properties in Las Vegas pleaded guilty under the stipulation that he is mentally ill, a new report suggests. The person, a dentist from Colorado, identified with the initials M.M., drove through the fence of the facility with his car. Then, he allegedly set the car on fire and left on foot. Now, the person agreed to plead guilty, KLAS revealed recently.

Initial charges against the suspect included arson, destroying or injuring real or personal property as well as acts of terrorism. However, under the recent guilty plea and stipulation that he is mentally ill, the 35-year-old reportedly accepted guilt for charges of malicious destruction of property, as well as second-degree arson.

According to Nevada laws, arson in the second degree is a category B felony. If a person is found guilty on such a charge it carries a punishment of a minimum of one year of imprisonment and a maximum of 10 years. Convicted individuals may also be subject to a fine of $10,000 maximum. On the other hand, malicious destruction of property is also referred to as vandalism in Nevada and can include violations such as tearing down a neighbor’s fence, billboards or other destructive illegal actions. The penalties for such crimes depend on the value of the damage inflicted upon the property.

While the 35-year-old suspect may receive an active prison sentence, considering the claims that he is mentally ill, he may be sentenced to probation and may receive a fine as well. Moreover, he may be subject to mental health rehabilitation. The sentencing of the suspect for the crime is planned for December 18, 2023.

The Crime Temporarily Disabled the Solar Power Facility

The incident that allegedly involved the man from Colorado dates back to January this year. At the time, the suspect allegedly drove through the fence of the Mega Solar Array facility located north of Las Vegas Motor Speedway some 25 miles outside of Las Vegas. The solar facility is currently operated by a company called Invenergy and provides energy to the properties of MGM Resorts.

After driving through the fence of the facility, M.M. allegedly set his car on fire. The person then watched the car burn for a few minutes before walking off. It is unclear what damage was caused to the facility. Still, it had undergone repair works before resuming its operations a few weeks following the crime.

The crime took place on January 3. Law enforcement reviewed CCTV footage which helped identify the suspect for the crime. Two days later, on January 5, the suspect was detained.