A 55-year-old man from Everett, Washington, was sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to three felonies related to a pipe bomb explosion that destroyed his neighbor’s car. The sentencing took place in U.S. District Court in Seattle, where Judge John H. Chun described the conduct as “serious and quite frankly horrifying,” adding, “Add in the racist statements it is disgusting conduct.”
Steven Goldstine admitted to unlawful possession of a destructive device, unlawful possession of ammunition, and unlawful possession of a firearm. U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd commented on the case: “This defendant turned his racial hatred into a potentially deadly explosion, using a pipe bomb to blow up a car. Not everything is a hate crime, but we believe this defendant acted on racial hatred. After the bombing he called the victims to gloat, leaving a message with racial slurs. This time in prison will protect our community.”
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division stated: “Fueled by hatred for a neighbor’s race, the defendant used a pipe bomb to cause an explosion and destroy property. This sentence reflects the Department of Justice’s steadfast commitment to vigorously prosecute racially motivated crimes and ensure perpetrators are held accountable.”
Everett Police Chief John DeRousse said: “The violence and hatred behind this crime had no place in Everett, and our detectives worked closely with our federal partners to ensure a thorough investigation and a strong case. The victim in this incident showed resilience in the face of a senseless act meant to intimidate and divide. We are grateful for the collaboration with the FBI, ATF, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office that ultimately brought accountability and helped reinforce that everyone in our community deserves to feel safe.”
The incident occurred on December 31, 2024, when police responded to an explosion at an apartment complex parking lot in Everett. The victims identified Goldstine as a suspect due to previous conflicts with him. Investigators linked Goldstine to the bombing through video surveillance footage from nearby locations and clothing found at his home.
Authorities also discovered more than 700 rounds of ammunition at Goldstine’s residence during their search following the explosion. Goldstine was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of prior felony convictions for burglary, arson, and possession of stolen property.
In September 2020, law enforcement had previously searched Goldstine’s home after he pointed a gun at protestors—a moment captured on video—and seized his firearm.
Prosecutors highlighted Goldstine’s history of violent behavior in their request for a longer sentence: “Goldstine has a deeply troubling history of violence, dating back to several serious convictions for arson in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. Violence has remained a consistent part of his life over the past five years, from assaulting a neighbor and fighting with police in 2019, to pointing a gun at protestors in 2020 to making death threats on YouTube in 2022…to bombing (the victim’s) car at the end of December 2024.”
ATF Seattle Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric Jackson stated: “No one should fear violence based on their beliefs or identity, and terror motivated by hate will not be tolerated. This sentence reflects our commitment to investigate and prosecute reprehensible, hate-fueled acts of violence to the fullest extent of the law.”
W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office added: “After years of hateful and violent behavior, Mr. Goldstine is now being sentenced for exploding his neighbors’ car, bragging about it, and leaving an offensive message for the victims. Thankfully, no one was hurt in this incident, which could well have killed someone. Together with our partners, the Puget Sound Joint Terrorism Task Force will not stand for such violent intimidation and will remain vigilant in combatting such dangerous acts.”
Judge Chun ordered that following his release from prison Goldstine will serve three years under supervised release; electronic location monitoring will be required during one year.
The investigation involved collaboration between local police departments as well as federal agencies including ATF and FBI.
The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica M. Manca for Western District of Washington along with Trial Attorney Taylor Payne from Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
