(Ken Silva, Headline USA) Jerry Gale Kerns, who was the Region II Director of the United Mine Workers of America union, has pled guilty to bombing a methane gas pipeline owned by the Warrior Met Coal company near Brookwood, Alabama in March 2022.
Kerns was indicted for the bombing two years ago. He pled guilty Friday, and will have a change-of-plea hearing next Tuesday.
You don't see many cases like this these days. A union worker was indicted last week for bombing a natural gas pipeline. pic.twitter.com/Fh9qO0mbQg
— Ken Silva (@JD_Cashless) September 2, 2024
The matter stems from It states April 2021, when approximately 900 UMWA members and Warrior Met Coal employees went on strike because of failed contract negotiations and an expired labor contract. Throughout the strike, defendant Kerns traveled frequently to Alabama from his home in West Virginia to support the striking workers in his capacity as a UMWA official.
Then, on March 23, 2022, Kerns bombed the methane gas pipeline, according to his plea agreement.
“At approximately 11:40pm on March 23, 2022, as the strike continued, an explosive device detonated on an above-ground section of methane gas pipeline owned and operated by (WMC) in Brookwood, Alabama,” the plea deal says. “The explosion occurred at the intersection of Hanna Creek Road and Sandlin Mountain Road in a remote, rural area running along the perimeter of WMC’s property.”
According to local reports, Warrior Met Coal had a $25,000 reward for info about the pipeline attack. FBI agents allegedly found Kerns by tracking a burner phone that he used his UMWA credit card to purchase.
The strike reportedly ended February 16, 2023, when the union issued an unconditional return to work.
Kerns faces up to 20 years in prison.
Ken Silva is the editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/jd_cashless.
