A Whittemore resident pleaded guilty to planting two explosive devices discovered outside cellphone stores in Cheboygan and Sault Ste. Marie.
John Douglas Allen, 76, entered his plea before United States District Judge Thomas Ludington in Bay City this week. He faces up to 20 years in prison.
The bombs were discovered and defused on Sept. 15, 2021 a Verizon store in Cheboygan and an AT&T in Sault Ste. Marie. Both were placed outside of the stores in United States Postal Service boxes with black tape left and wires sticking out.
An FBI investigation found the two devices were improvised explosive devices, also called pipe bombs.
Both pipe bombs contained shrapnel and a note demanding $5 million.
Agents identified Allen using video footage taken from the cellphone stores and other nearby businesses.
Allen also pleaded guilty to placing letters containing threats aimed at telecommunications providers at cell towers located in the Upper Peninsula.
“The actions of this defendant could have resulted in significant bodily harm or death to citizens in the area,” Eastern District of Michigan United States Attorney Dawn Ison said in a press release. “Thanks to the hard work of our law enforcement partners and prosecutors, we were able to find and remove these dangerous devices before the defendant could cause serious harm.”
The FBI was assisted by the Michigan State Police, Cheboygan County Sheriff’s Office, Cheboygan Police Department, Sault Ste. Marie Police Department, Sault Ste. Marie Tribal Police, the US Coast Guard Investigative Service, US Border Patrol and ATF.
Allen’s sentencing date is Nov. 9.
