Oakland pair indicted on terrorism charges for mink-freeing spree 
 
 A pair of Oakland animal-rights activists were arrested on federal terrorism charges Friday for allegedly driving more than 40,000 miles across the country to save the hides of 5,000 mink destined to become furs, authorities said. 
 
 Joseph Buddenberg, 31, and Nicole Kissane, 28, were both charged with conspiracy to violate the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act during a nationwide vandalism spree that crisscrossed the country in the summer of 2013, said U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy. 
 
 The pair allegedly traveled as far as the East Coast — stopping along the way at fur farms in Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Montana and Pennsylvania — freeing mink from cages and in one case a bobcat while also committing various acts of vandalism against businesses, business owners and employees in the fur industry, according to court records. 
 
 “Whatever your feelings about the fur industry, there are legal ways to make your opinions known,” Duffy said in a statement. “The conduct alleged here, sneaking around at night, stealing property and vandalizing homes and businesses with acid, glue and chemicals, is a form of domestic terrorism and can’t be permitted to continue.” 
 
 In one instance detailed in the indictment, Buddenberg and Kissane allegedly drove from Oregon to Southern California armed with used paint, paint stripper, Super Glue and two different types of acid to vandalize Furs by Graf, a furrier in San Diego, and the homes of both its current and former owner in Spring Valley and La Mesa, suburbs east of the city. 
 
 Among their other exploits, the pair broke windows out at a Bay Area market, slashed the tires of a San Francisco meat distributor truck, glued shut the locks at a fur business in Minneapolis and attempted to flood the Sun Prairie, Wis., home of an employee who worked at a fur auction house, prosecutors said. 
 
 Buddenberg and Kissane, who authorities said were unemployed during their vandalism spree, allegedly raised cash for their free-the-mink spree trip by selling items on eBay. They also stopped using cell phones and used encrypted e-mail while on the road to avoid detection by law enforcement, according to the indictment. 
 
 To publicize their crimes, court documents allege, the pair used publicly available computers to post what the FBI called “communiques” to extreme animal rights websites. 
 
 Buddenberg was the target of federal agents at least once before when, in 2009, he was charged with threatening researchers at UC Berkeley and UC Santa Cruz. Those charges were eventually thrown out by a judge who said prosecutors filed a vague indictment that failed to specify any illegal acts. 
 
 If convicted, Buddenberg and Kissane could face up to 10 years in prison and $250,000 in fines. The pair have both been released on bond and are due back in court on Tuesday, officials said. 
 
 Kale Williams is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: kwilliams@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfkale |||||  The missions were completed under the cover of darkness, in the name of animal activism. Joseph Buddenberg and Nicole Kissaneare accused of vandalizing a family-run fur shop in San Diego, freeing thousands of minks from Idaho to Pennsylvania and trying to flood the home of a fur auctioneer employee in Wisconsin. 
 
 Prosecutors say their alleged actions weren’t merely illegal, but a form of domestic terrorism. 
 
 The Oakland pair was arrested Friday by the FBI, accused of embarking on a 40,000-mile cross-country rampage on the fur industry. Their actions caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Diego said. 
 
 Kissane, 28, who used to live in Escondido, and Buddenberg, 31, originally from Virginia Beach, have been indicted on charges of conspiracy to violate the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. Both were expected to be transferred from Oakland to San Diego to face the charges. 
 
 Vintage furs at Furs by Graf.— Louie Juarez + Read Caption Share Photo  
 
  
 
  
 
 ✉ 
 
 “We’ve been targeted over 30 years by these terrorists and we’re pleased law enforcement is able to apprehend people,” said Kimberley Graf, whose family owns the San Diego fur shop that was vandalized. 
 
 The covert road trips occurred the summer and fall of 2013, according to the indictment unsealed Friday. 
 
 It began in June 2013, when they drove from Portland, Ore., to Southern California in a Honda Fit, the indictment states. 
 
 On July 15, 2013, according to the charges, the pair trashed Furs by Graf in Kearny Mesa. The San Diego store was spray-painted – markings that included the words “killer” and “murder” – and the windows were destroyed with etching materials. Acid was sprayed into the shop and glue was put on the door locks. 
 
 Acid, paint and paint stripper were also used on the La Mesa and Spring Valley homes of store manager Graf and her parents. Graf said she hopes her family will be able to recover restitution for the damage incurred. 
 
 The court document lays out Buddenberg and Kissane’s alleged cross-country path after that: 
 
 • In Montana, they are accused of releasing a bobcat from Frazier Fur Farm in Plains, then the next day vandalizing the vehicles of the police chief in Darby, who is disliked by animal-rights activists, according to the indictment. 
 
 • In Idaho, they released about 1,800 mink from the Moyle Mink Ranch in Burley and destroyed the breeding grounds there, the indictment alleges. 
 
 • In the Bay Area, they allegedly glued the locks of various animal-related businesses, slashed the tires on several trucks of a meat distributor and broke windows of a market, the indictment says. 
 
 • In Minnesota, they allegedly smashed the windows and glued the locks of Ribnick Fur and Leather in Minneapolis, and later freed about 440 mink from Myhre Mink Ranch in Grand Meadow. 
 
 • In Wisconsin, they are accused of vandalizing and trying to flood the Sun Prairie home of an employee of North American Fur Auctions, and later releasing about 2,000 mink from Bonlander Farms in New Holstein. 
 
 • In Iowa, the indictment says, they freed up to 500 mink from the Donald B. Conrad Fur Farm in Keota. 
 
 • In Pennsylvania, they released 1,000 mink from Rykola Mink Farm in Ebensburg, according to the indictment. 
 
 “Communiqués” publicizing their actions were posted on websites associated with animal-rights extremism, authorities said. In the San Diego attack, a Florida animal-rights website posted a message from the Animal Liberation Front that claimed responsibility for the vandalism. The indictment does not mention whether Buddenberg and Kissane are part of any organization. 
 
 Authorities say the pair carefully planned the excursions and tried to stay off the grid to avoid detection by law enforcement. 
 
 They used only cash during their trips and avoided phones to avoid leaving traces, the indictment says. They are also accused of using encrypted email and public computers to access the Internet while on the road. 
 
 The pair were unemployed – although public records show Kissane has a cosmetology license – and raised money for their road trips by selling items on eBay and Amazon, authorities said. 
 
 In November and December 2013, authorities allege, the pair were in possession of various tools to carry out the crimes, including acid, wire cutters, handwritten lists of fur farms, latex gloves, super glue, walkie-talkies, a knife, encrypted computers and headlamps. 
 
 “Whatever your feelings about the fur industry, there are legal ways to make your opinions known,” U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy said in a statement. “The conduct alleged here, sneaking around at night, stealing property and vandalizing homes and businesses with acid, glue, and chemicals, is a form of domestic terrorism and can’t be permitted to continue.” 
 
 The alleged spree was investigated by Joint Terrorism Task Forces around the country, said San Diego’s FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric Birnbaum. 
 
 Jerry Vlasak, a press officer with the North American Animal Liberation Press Office, emphasized that the pair are innocent until proven otherwise. 
 
 He said in his opinion, forms of economic sabotage and the liberation of animals are legitimate tactics to use as part of the animal rights movement. 
 
 “Whoever did these actions are heroes in our book. We support them 100 percent,” Vlasak said. 
 
 He added that the “terrorism” label is describing the wrong side. “These people are abusing animals, taking fur-bearing animals, keeping them in cages, anally electrocuting them, skinning them and selling their fur to make a fashion statement and profit. If anyone is terrorizing anyone, it’s those terrorizing these animals.” 
 
 This is not the first arrest for Buddenberg. He and three others were charged in 2009 in connection with violent protests outside the homes of UC Santa Cruz and UC Berkeley scientists. Buddenberg lived in Berkeley at the time. 
 
 One of the other activists charged was an Oceanside man. The federal case was ultimately dismissed.
– Two animal rights activists who authorities say went on an epic vigilante road trip across the US have been arrested and face jail time. Joseph Buddenberg, 31, and Nicole Kissane, 28, both of Oakland, are accused of freeing about 5,000 mink from various farms along with a slew of vandalism incidents, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. Prosecutors say the pair set out in June 2013 in a Honda Fit and began their spree by vandalizing a San Diego fur store with paint and Super Glue. After that, they allegedly freed mink from cages at farms in Idaho, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Pennsylvania, along with one lucky bobcat in Montana, reports the San Diego Tribune. They also vandalized other stores and vehicles (including a police chief's car) along the way, say authorities. “Whatever your feelings about the fur industry, there are legal ways to make your opinions known,” say US Attorney Lura Duffy. “The conduct alleged here, sneaking around at night, stealing property and vandalizing homes and businesses with acid, glue and chemicals, is a form of domestic terrorism and can’t be permitted to continue.” The pair allegedly wrote of their spree in encrypted "communiques" on activist websites as it progressed. They're accused of violating the federal Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, and each faces 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Both are out on bond with electronic monitoring.