Second WA man sentenced for bomb construction

by STAFF REPORT
Staff Report | September 5, 2023 5:59 PM

RICHLAND — A Washington man was sentenced to a year and a half in prison for plotting to make a bomb, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke sentenced Connor Goodman on Thursday to 18 months in the custody of the United States Bureau of Prisons, to be followed by a three-year term of court supervision, the statement said.

Goodman was sentenced after having pleaded guilty March 16 to conspiracy to make an unregistered destructive device, according to the statement. Goodman’s co-defendant, Daniel Anderson, pleaded guilty to the same charge March 23.

On Aug. 17, Anderson was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison, followed by three years of court supervision.

According to the statement, Goodman’s plea and sentence came after an investigation by the FBI’s Seattle Field Office Inland Northwest Joint Terrorism Task Force into a group of individuals that advocated for the use of violence against perceived government overreach. During the investigation, Anderson solicited explosive material from members of the group. In response, Goodman purchased fireworks for Anderson for the construction of an explosive device.

In December 2021, the FBI and other law enforcement agencies executed search warrants at Anderson’s and Goodman’s residences, according to the statement. Special agents located a small fully constructed destructive device at Anderson’s residence, and multiple firearms at Goodman’s residence.

“Mr. Goodman and his co-conspirator took active steps to further their ideology through violence,” Richard A. Collodi, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office, wrote in the statement. “Fortunately, our Joint Terrorism Task Force was able to disrupt their activities before they could injure or kill anyone with their destructive device. I thank the investigators and partners who work tirelessly on the JTTF, the Eastern District of Washington U.S. Attorney’s Office, and urge the public to remain vigilant for those who would use violence to advance an agenda.”