September 2, 2021
Arkansas

Trial on failed Elm Springs wind farm heads to jurors

Wind farm trial heads to jurors | Arkansas Democrat-Gazette | September 2, 2021 | www.arkansasonline.com

FAYETTEVILLE – Both sides in a trial over a failed wind farm proposed for Elm Springs have finished their closing statements.

U.S. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks is expected to send the case to jurors this afternoon.

Jody Davis and Phillip Vincent Ridings, both principals in Dragonfly, are charged with multiple counts of wire fraud, aiding and abetting wire fraud, money laundering, and aiding and abetting money laundering. Both men entered not guilty pleas.

Dragonfly sought to rezone 312 acres in Elm Springs in late 2015.

Opponents of the wind farm collected petitions to force a special election March 1, 2016, to undo the October 2015 annexation of the wind farm site by the city. Voiding the annexation passed 483-273. Dragonfly announced it was dropping the project later the same week.

Rescinding the annexation placed the needed site approval into the purview of Washington County officials, who were skeptical of the project, according to news accounts at the time.

Dragonfly also drew the scrutiny of the Arkansas Securities Department. The department issued a cease-and-desist order against the company Aug. 11, 2016, which prohibited Dragonfly from efforts to sell unregistered securities to investors. State Securities officials also contacted the FBI.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2021/09/02/trial-on-failed-elm-springs-wind-farm-heads-to-jurors/