Okla. man indicted for allegedly throwing pipe bomb in Salem

An Oklahoma man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in boston and will be brought to Massachusetts to face charges for allegedly throwing a pipe bomb onto the porch of the satanic Temple in salem last month, acting Us Attorney Joshua s. levy’s office said friday.

sean patrick palmer, 49, was arrested in his home state on April 17. he has been detained since making an appearance in federal court in the Western District of Oklahoma. The judge there ordered palmer’s transfer to Massachusetts. A hearing for palmer has not yet been scheduled in the Us District court in boston.

The federal grand jury handed up its indictment Thursday charging palmer, of perkins, Okla., with one felony count of using an explosive to cause damage to a building used in interstate or foreign commerce.

According to court records palmer has not yet hired or been assigned an attorney.

The homemade explosive device was thrown at the bridge street building around 4:15 a.m. on April 8. no one was there at the time, police said.

A six-page handwritten note addressed “Dear satanist” was found in a nearby flower bed. it repeatedly referred to elohim, a hebrew name for God.

“elohim now send me to smite satan and i happy to obey,” the note said. “And elohim want me to contact you to tell you repent. Turn from sin. elohim no like this place and plan to destroy it.”

The device, made from a plastic pipe filled with a powderlike substance and covered in metal nails, fizzled out and scorched the front of the building that operates as a temple, headquarters, and an art gallery, according to the complaint. investigators found DnA from a caucasian male on the bomb.

security cameras on the property captured images of a man wearing black pants, a black jacket, a black covering on his face, a tan-colored tactical vest, and gloves. The man can be seen igniting the bomb, throwing it toward the main entrance, and running away, the complaint said.

if convicted as charged, palmer faces between five and 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000, levy’s office said.