William Cottrell
William "Billy" Cottrell | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1980 (age 44–45) Concord, North Carolina, United States |
| Occupation | Graduate research assistant |
| Criminal status | Released |
| Parent(s) | William Cottrell and Heidi Schwiebert |
| Criminal charge | Conspiracy to arson |
| Penalty | 8 years |
William Jensen Cottrell (born 1980) is a former Ph.D. candidate at the California Institute of Technology who was convicted in April 2005 of conspiracy associated with the destruction of eight sport utility vehicles and a Hummer dealership in the name of the Earth Liberation Front (ELF). He was sentenced to eight years in federal prison on conspiracy charges and ordered to pay $3.5 million in restitution. He was released August 16, 2011.