The trial of a white supremacist accused of plotting to destroy Baltimore’s power grid began Tuesday with attorneys focusing on his actions.

Brandon Russell, 29, encouraged his then-girlfriend, Sarah Beth Clendaniel, to carry out the power grid attack, hoping to cause chaos in furtherance of their shared white supremacist views, according to prosecutors. The two were arrested in February 2023 — before their plans were executed.

Brandon Russell, 29, of Orlando, Florida, who’s the founder of the Atomwaffen Division, is standing trial in U.S. District Court in Baltimore on a charge of conspiracy to damage an energy facility.