Eduardo Moreno, a locomotive engineer for Pacific Harbor Line, intentionally derailed a freight train at the Port of Los Angeles on March 31, 2020, in an attempt to crash it into the U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy. He was driven by conspiracy theories about the ship’s mission during the first weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreno pleaded guilty to a federal terrorism charge and was sentenced in April 2022 to three years in federal prison.1U.S. Department of Justice. Former San Pedro Train Engineer Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Intentionally Derailing
What Happened at the Port of Los Angeles
On the afternoon of March 31, 2020, Moreno drove a Pacific Harbor Line locomotive at full speed off the end of the tracks near the port. The train smashed through concrete, steel, and chain-link barriers, slid through a parking lot, and came to rest roughly 250 yards from the USNS Mercy, docked at Berth 93.2ABC News. Engineer Allegedly Crashed Train Near USNS Mercy in Los Angeles Nobody was hurt. Roughly 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel leaked from the locomotive, and hazardous-materials crews recovered about 400 gallons from the tank and surrounding ground.1U.S. Department of Justice. Former San Pedro Train Engineer Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Intentionally Derailing
The Mercy, a 1,000-bed hospital ship, had accepted its first patients two days earlier. The Navy had deployed it to Los Angeles to treat non-COVID patients so local hospitals could dedicate their intensive care beds and ventilators to the pandemic response.3U.S. Navy. USNS Mercy Accepts First Patients in Los Angeles
Moreno, 44 and a San Pedro resident, tried to flee on foot. California Highway Patrol officers arrested him near the scene.2ABC News. Engineer Allegedly Crashed Train Near USNS Mercy in Los Angeles
Why He Did It
Moreno told FBI agents and port police that he believed the Mercy had an “unstated purpose” and suspected it was connected to a “government takeover.” He said the ship was “suspicious” and that he did not believe it was being used for “what they say it’s for.”4New York Post. Engineer Derailed Train Near USNS Mercy Over Conspiracy Theory Federal prosecutors described these beliefs as baseless conspiracy theories about the government’s handling of the outbreak.5New York Times. Train Crash Los Angeles Coronavirus
As officers took him into custody, Moreno spoke spontaneously: “You only get this chance once. The whole world is watching. I had to. People don’t know what’s going on here. Now they will.”6NBC Los Angeles. LA Port Hospital Ship Mercy Train Derailment Terrorism He told investigators he had acted alone and without pre-planning, and that he chose to derail the train because he knew it would attract media attention and let “people [to] see for themselves.” The statements were documented in an affidavit by FBI Special Agent Douglas Swain.5New York Times. Train Crash Los Angeles Coronavirus
The Federal Charge and Guilty Plea
The government filed a federal complaint the day after the derailment, charging Moreno under 18 U.S.C. § 1992(a)(1), which criminalizes terrorist attacks and other violence against railroad carriers and mass transportation systems.7CourtListener. United States v. Moreno The statute covers knowingly and unlawfully wrecking or derailing railroad equipment and carries a maximum penalty of 20 years.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S.C. § 1992 Magistrate Judge Michael R. Wilner ordered him detained after his initial appearance the same day.
Moreno pleaded guilty on December 16, 2021, to a single count of committing a terrorist attack and other violence against railroad carriers and mass transportation systems. In the plea agreement he admitted the derailment caused approximately $700,000 in damages and agreed to pay restitution to Pacific Harbor Line.9U.S. Department of Justice. San Pedro Train Engineer Pleads Guilty to Terrorism Charge for Intentionally Derailing Prosecutors said they would seek a sentence of roughly six and a half years.6NBC Los Angeles. LA Port Hospital Ship Mercy Train Derailment Terrorism
Sentencing
On April 13, 2022, U.S. District Judge Philip S. Gutierrez sentenced Moreno to 36 months in federal prison, well below the 77 months prosecutors had requested. The judge also ordered him to pay $755,880 in restitution, an amount that included the hazardous-materials cleanup of the diesel spill.1U.S. Department of Justice. Former San Pedro Train Engineer Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Intentionally Derailing
The sentence was shorter than the government sought in large part because Judge Gutierrez declined to apply a “terrorism enhancement.” Prosecutors argued the enhancement was justified because Moreno intended to retaliate against the government’s pandemic response. Defense counsel countered that Moreno’s actions were the product of a psychotic episode, not a calculated terrorist plot, presenting evidence that he suffered from untreated bipolar affective disorder and was experiencing a manic episode at the time of the derailment. The judge accepted that argument.10Courthouse News Service. Engineer Gets 3 Years for Derailing Train Near Navy Hospital Ship in Early Days of Pandemic