Ismail J. Ramsey, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California
Casey Robert Goonan, a 34-year-old resident of Oakland and Pleasant Hill, has admitted to federal arson charges linked to firebombing incidents at the Oakland federal building and the University of California, Berkeley in June 2024.
Court documents reveal that on June 11, 2024, Goonan attempted to attack the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Oakland. He carried three Molotov cocktails with plans to throw them inside after breaking a window. However, protective services officers intervened, prompting Goonan to abandon his plan by placing the devices in a planter and igniting them.
Goonan also confessed to an earlier incident on June 1, 2024, where he placed six Molotov cocktails under a University of California Police Department patrol car at UC Berkeley. The act resulted in the vehicle catching fire.
In addition to these attacks, Goonan acknowledged setting fires on the UC Berkeley campus on June 1, June 13, and June 16, 2024. He admitted that his actions aimed to influence government conduct through intimidation and retaliation against both the United States and California governments.
U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey emphasized that while political expression is protected in America, violence is not acceptable: "Politically motivated violence undermines our democracy."
Dan Costin from the FBI stated that preventing acts of violence and terrorism remains their top priority: "Acts of arson and violence that seek to intimidate or coerce government institutions undermine democracy."
Goonan pleaded guilty to one count of maliciously damaging property used in interstate commerce using fire or explosives under 18 U.S.C. § 844(i). This charge carries a potential sentence ranging from five to twenty years in prison. His sentencing is set for April 8, 2025.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nikhil Bhagat with assistance from Tina Rosenbaum following investigations by multiple agencies including the FBI and ATF.
