Oklahoma man indicted, accused of throwing pipe bomb at Satanic Temple in Salem

Timothy Nazzaro
·2 min read
1

A federal grand jury indicted an Oklahoma man on Friday who allegedly threw a pipe bomb at The Satanic Temple in Salem in April.

Sean Patrick Palmer, 49, of Perkins, Oklahoma was indicted on one count of using fire and an explosive to damage and attempt to damage a building used in interstate or foreign commerce, according to Acting United States District of Massachusetts Attorney Joshua Levy.

In the early hours of April 8, Palmer allegedly walked towards The Satanic Temple wearing a black face covering, a tan-colored tactical vest, and gloves before igniting a pipe bomb and throwing it at the entrance.

Investigators say the pipe bomb was made from a section of plastic pipe covered with metal nails, with insides filled with smokeless gunpowder. Palmer’s DNA was allegedly found on the outside of the IED.

The pipe bomb caused a minor fire and damage to the outside of the building, but there were no reports of any injuries.

Investigators also say they found a six-page handwritten note in a flower bed near the temple, stating:

DEAR SATANIST

ELOHIM SEND ME 7 MONTHS AGO TO GIVE YOU

PEACEFUL MESSAGE TO HOPE YOU REPENT. YOU SAY

NO, ELOHIM NOW SEND ME TO SMITE SATAN AND I

HAPPY TO OBEY. AND ELOHIM WANT ME TO CONTACT

YOU TO TELL YOU REPENT. TURN FROM SIN. ELOHIM

NO LIKE THIS PLACE AND PLAN TO DESTROY IT. MAYBE

SALEM TOO? ELOHIM SEND ME TO FIGHT CRYBABY

SATAN, BUT WANT ME TO MAKE HARD EFFORT SO NO

ONE DIES. I OBEY.

Palmer was initially arrested on April 17 in Perkins, Oklahoma. He was transferred from a federal court in Oklahoma to Boston shortly thereafter. Palmer will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.

The charge of using fire or an explosive to cause damage to a building used in interstate or foreign commerce provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

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