Man Pleads Guilty to Participating in Federal Courthouse Bombing

El Centro, CA - United States Attorney Karen P. Hewitt announced that Eric Reginald Robinson pled guilty today in federal court in El Centro, California, before United States Magistrate Judge Peter C. Lewis to one count of possession and use of a destructive device to commit a crime of violence, to wit: conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c), subject to final acceptance by the Honorable M. Margaret McKeown at the time of sentencing.

As part of his guilty plea, Robinson admitted that he conspired with others to construct and detonate a series of pipe bombs, including the bombs used against the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Courthouse in San Diego on May 4, 2008 and a Federal Express distribution center in San Diego on April 25, 2008.

In his plea, Robinson admitted that he helped acquire the pipes and end caps used to construct numerous pipe bombs. Robinson admitted that two of the bombs were used against the Federal Express distribution center on 47th Street in San Diego on April 25, 2008. He also admitted that on May 4, 2008, he and a co-conspirator traveled to downtown San Diego with three pipe bombs in a black backpack. Robinson waited in a nearby vehicle while the three bombs were detonated at the federal courthouse. Robinson then drove his co-conspirator back to Menifee, California.

Robinson is scheduled to appear before the Honorable M. Margaret McKeown in federal court in San Diego for sentencing on January 9, 2009 at 9:30 a.m.

SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c) - Possession of a Destructive Device in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Maximum penalties: Not less than 30 years in prison

PARTICIPATING AGENCIES

Federal Bureau of Investigation Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Joint Terrorism Task Force