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(Salt Lake City-AP) -- A former Utah Power employee of 25 years pleaded guilty today in federal court to blowing up a Utah Power substation during the 2002 Winter Olympics.
Vince R Rogers admitted to federal Judge Dee Benson he caused as much as two-hundred-17 thousand dollars in damages on the last day of the Winter Olympics at a substation near where he kept his cattle.
Rogers originally pleaded NOT guilty to the crime.
U-S Attorney Paul Warner made it clear that Rogers wasn't trying to commit terrorism or hurt anyone.
The explosion caused widespread power outages and sparked a fire at a North Salt Lake oil refinery. It also raised security concerns involving Vice President Dick Cheney's appearance at the Games' closing ceremonies.
Rogers will be sentenced October 15th. He faces up to 57 months in federal prison and a four-hundred-thousand dollar fine. He may also be ordered to pay restitution.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
