An Oklahoma man has admitted to attempting to destroy The Satanic Temple in Salem, Massachusetts with a pipe bomb. Sean Patrick Palmer, 49, from Perkins, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to using an explosive device to damage a building used in interstate or foreign commerce. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani has set the sentencing for June 12, 2025.
Palmer was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2024 after being charged by criminal complaint and arrested on April 17, 2024. According to the charging documents, surveillance footage captured Palmer approaching The Satanic Temple (TST) at approximately 4:14 a.m. on April 8, 2024. He was wearing a black face covering and tactical gear when he ignited and threw the improvised explosive device (IED) at TST's main entrance before fleeing the scene. The IED did not fully detonate and caused only minor damage.
The pipe bomb was constructed from a two-foot section of plastic pipe covered with metal nails attached with duct tape and filled with smokeless gunpowder. Investigators found Palmer’s DNA on the device.
A handwritten note addressed "DEAR SATANIST" was discovered near the scene, expressing intentions purportedly directed by "ELOHIM" to deliver a message of repentance.
The charge against Palmer carries a potential sentence of five to twenty years in prison, along with three years of supervised release and up to $250,000 in fines. Sentencing will be determined based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jodi Cohen from the FBI's Boston Division; and Lucas J. Miller from the Salem Police Department announced these developments today. They acknowledged assistance from several law enforcement agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; Massachusetts State Police; FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office; Payne County Sheriff’s Office; Oklahoma Highway Patrol; United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma; and Stillwater Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason A. Casey is prosecuting this case.
