2 charged in arson at Oregon tree farm

TACOMA — A man and a woman from Washington were indicted Thursday in a 2001 arson at an Oregon tree farm that has been blamed on radical environmentalists.

Joyanne Zacher, 28, and Nathan Fraser Block, 24, both of Olympia, made a brief first appearance Thursday in U.S. District Court in Tacoma after a federal grand jury in Eugene, Ore., returned two separate 14-count indictments against them.

They are charged with 12 counts of arson and one count of attempted arson involving farm buildings and trucks at a poplar-tree farm in Clatskanie, Ore., that they incorrectly believed was practicing genetic engineering, according to the indictment.

They are also charged with carrying and using one or more incendiary bombs during the crimes, a charge that could bring a prison sentence of 30 years.

The indictment is the latest brought by federal authorities against numerous people who allegedly have ties to the radical Earth Liberation Front (ELF) and Animal Liberation Front (ALF). Last month, the Justice Department released a 65-count indictment against 11 people, charging them with 17 arsons and sabotage attacks that prosecutors say were committed on behalf of ELF and ALF.

Named in the January indictment were four other people who were charged with the May 21, 2001, arson that caused more than $1 million damage to the Jefferson Poplar Farm. They are Kevin Tubbs, 36; Stanislas Meyerhoff, 28; Chelsea D. Gerlach, 28; and Daniel G. McGowan, 31. All are set to be tried in Eugene starting Oct. 31.

According to authorities, the tree-farm arson was part of a conspiracy involving numerous other arsons or attempted arsons causing millions of dollars damage in Washington, Oregon, Wyoming, Colorado and California between 1996 and 2001.

The crimes include the May 21, 2001, fire at the Center for Urban Horticulture at the University of Washington, for which ELF claimed responsibility.

The Clatskanie and UW arsons occurred within a few hours of each other.

They were both caused by similar, crude incendiary devices composed of cheap digital timers and fuel, according to authorities.

The UW horticulture center was a research center and resource for gardeners all over the region. An ELF press release said it was targeted due to efforts to develop fast-growing poplar trees. After the fire, the building was rebuilt at a cost of more than $7 million in public funds.

In addition to the UW center and the tree farm, targets of the attacks included U.S. Forest Service buildings, a Bureau of Land Management horse corral, a meat company, a lumber company and a Vail, Colo., ski resort.

The FBI has said groups such as ELF and ALF represent the nation's top domestic terrorism threat, though the groups reject that label and say they are careful not to harm people.

Federal investigators have confiscated Block's and Zacher's computers, hoping to find e-mail and other evidence of conspiracy. According to records, neither has long ties to this area. On Tuesday, defense attorneys for the two will argue for Block's and Zacher's release on bail, pending trial.

Zacher was arrested during the World Trade Organization riots in Seattle in December 1999 and charged with malicious mischief and third-degree assault. Those charges were later dismissed.

Nancy Bartley: 206-464-8522 or nbartley@seattletimes.com