SAN ANTONIO — A federal grand jury has determined there is enough evidence to pursue charges against a man accused of setting fire to 5G cell phone towers around San Antonio.
The indictment accuses Sean Aaron Smith of setting fires to utility poles in 2021 and 2022.
Arrest documents first obtained by the San Antonio Express-News indicate Smith held “anti-government views.”
It’s not clear whether Smith is blaming 5G cell towers for the spread of the coronavirus, but arsonists around the world buying into the unsubstantiated conspiracy theory have stolen hundreds of cellphones during the pandemic. The base station was set on fire.
Michael Mosser is executive director of the Global Disinformation Institute at the University of Texas. His research includes conspiracy theories about 5G cell phone towers.
“Never underestimate the power of symbols,” he said. “They feel like they’ve lost control of their lives, and the cell phone towers are right there. We see them. They’re watching us every day. They certainly… It represents something that we don’t fully understand and that we don’t understand. We feel like we’re in control.”
British authorities claim conspiracy theorists set nearly 100 mobile phone towers on fire in one month of 2020.
Mosser says 5G conspiracy theories are similar to 20th century concerns about the impact of power lines on cancer rates. Research has not yet shown that electromagnetic frequencies cause health problems.
“We want certainty,” Mosser said. “We want real-world explanations for things, and am uncomfortable with ambiguity.”
Conspiracy theories provide a sense of security, Mosser said. However, the majority of people who believe in unsubstantiated beliefs do not act on those beliefs.
People who turn to violence may do so out of desperation.
“It comes down to the individual’s rationalization that something needs to be done. They will end up taking action,” he said, adding that psychological factors are likely to influence behavior. he pointed out.
Prosecutors charged Smith with six counts of arson affecting interstate and foreign commerce. Smith is said to have set fire to the same tower on two separate occasions.
Smith is scheduled to make his first appearance before a federal judge on March 15th. He faces at least five years in prison for each arson charge if convicted.
