The Justice Department charged an 18-year-old from East Brunswick for his part in a plot to destroy energy facilities in the Garden State.
Authorities arrested Andrew Takhistov July 10. He faces one count of soliciting another individual to engage in criminal conduct. The alleged plan involved destroying a PSEG circuit breaker and substation.
Prosecutors allege that Takhistov was active on social media. According to them, he often posted on racially/ethnically motivated extremist (RMVE)-aligned channels. Authorities say Takhistov requested advice about weapons, expressing interest in traveling overseas to engage in paramilitary-style training and more.
In fact, the defendant was arrested at Newark Liberty International Airport. Takhistov planned to travel to Paris on his way to Ukraine.
“Andrew Takhistov was allegedly on his way to Ukraine to join the Russian Volunteer Corps when we arrested him on charges of recruiting an individual to destroy an electrical substation here in the United States in order to advance his white supremacy ideology,” Attorney General Merrick
Garland . “I am grateful to the FBI and the Joint Terrorism Task Force for their exceptional work disrupting this dangerous plot.”
According to case documents and court statements, Takhistov began unknowingly communicating online with an undercover law enforcement employee this past January.
“Throughout Takhistov’s communications with the undercover employee, Takhistov repeatedly referred to his RMVE ideology and his desire to advance that ideology through violent means," prosecutors allege. "In May 2024, Takhistov informed the undercover employee that he was planning to travel to Ukraine in July 2024 to join the Russian Volunteer Corps, explaining that he chose this organization because it was openly National Socialist and, more importantly, specialized in assassinations, attacks on power grids, and other infrastructure sabotage."
'Imagine the chaos'
Prosecutors allege that on two occasions, Takhistov and the undercover employee drove to two different electrical substations. The June and July trips to North Brunswick and New Brunswick were at his direction.
“During these visits, Takhistov instructed the undercover employee on numerous aspects of how to conduct an attack on an electrical substation,” prosecutors allege. “On July 5, 2024, during one of those meetings, Takhistov directed the undercover employee to take several photographs of the electrical substations so that Takhistov could send them to his Russian friend for additional advance on how to best sabotage the stations.”
Authorities detained Takhistov after a court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre in Newark federal court July 11.
An attorney for Takhistov was not immediately known.
The charge Takhistov faces is punishable by a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $125,000 fine.
PSEG did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“Imagine the chaos and number of life-threatening emergencies if a large population of people in New Jersey lost power in the middle of the current heat wave,” said
FBI-Newark Special Agent in Charge James Dennehy.
“This complaint alleges that the defendant’s posts referenced Adolf Hitler, encouraged violence against Black and Jewish communities, praised mass shooters and discussed causing deaths and destruction on a large scale,” said U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip
Sellinger , pointing to the alleged plans to join the RVC so that he could act on his violent plans. “We will not tolerate these kinds of alleged terroristic threats, and working with our partners, we will always be ready to root out and bring to justice anyone who attempts to carry out these acts.”
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