Skylar Dayne Goodman, Attempting to Derail a Train, North Dakota 2020

A Fargo man has been sentenced for attempting to derail a Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) train in North Dakota. Skylar Dayne Goodman, 19, was sentenced to four days’ incarceration followed by three years of supervised release.

Goodman was charged with attempting to derail a BNSF train in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1992(a)(1) and corruptly attempting to obstruct an official proceeding in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c)(2). He was also ordered to pay $3,124 in restitution to BNSF Railway.

The incident occurred on May 7, 2020, when a BNSF train was traveling from Brenkenridge, Minnesota to Black Thunder Mine in Wyoming. The crew reported a rough track one mile west of Casselton, and a train inspector later discovered a re-railer, a tool used to place a train back on the track after a derailment.

An investigation by the BNSF and FBI revealed that Goodman placed the re-railer on the track, causing the train to be reported as having a rough track. An acquaintance of Goodman’s initially told law enforcement that Goodman was not involved in the incident, but further investigation revealed that this individual was threatened by Goodman to fabricate the story.

United States Attorney Drew Wrigley expressed disappointment with the sentence, stating that the defendant planned and attempted a serious attack on critical infrastructure and human life. He added that Goodman obstructed the federal investigation.

Goodman was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, BNSF Police Department, and Cass County Sheriff’s Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Puhl.

The sentence has raised concerns about the severity of the punishment for such a serious crime. While Goodman will serve four days in prison, many believe that the sentence does not adequately reflect the gravity of his actions.

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