Man Pleads Guilty To Destroying Animal Lab

A man accused of using fire and vandalism to promote his animal rights beliefs in several states pleaded guilty Friday to arson and theft of government property charges, the U.S. attorney’s office said.

Rodney Adam Coronado, 28, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting an arson in connection with the Feb. 28, 1992, fire at Michigan State University research facilities.

He also pleaded guilty to the February 1992 theft of a cavalryman’s journal from a historical display at the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument near Crow Agency, Mont.

In exchange for his plea agreement, U.S. Attorney’s offices in five other states will not pursue charges against Coronado, Michael Dettmer, the U.S. Attorney for the western district of Michigan, said in a statement.

Coronado also was indicted in January in connection with fur farm break-ins in several states, including the Rocky Mountain Fur Co. in Hamilton, Mont., in Dec. 1991.

Coronado has admitted starting the fire at Michigan State which destroyed more than 25 years of research by Dr. Richard Auerlich.

A group called the Animal Liberation Front claimed responsibility for vandalizing research labs at Washington State University in 1991.

He will be sentenced June 7 and faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each charge.