(Spokane, WA) On November 14, 2024, Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Nicholas Andrew Anardi, age 33, of Moses Lake, Washington, to 60 months in federal prison for setting off an explosive device. Chief Judge Bastian also imposed 3 years of supervised release.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, When Anardi was in prison, someone robbed his garage. Anardi told investigators he, “had it out” for the person he thought committed the robbery, so he decided to build two explosive devices to, “scare them.”
Anardi used a model rocket engine for one of the bombs and an aerial mortar round in the other. He wrapped metal wire and pennies, that would act as homemade shrapnel, around the explosives, held in place by black electrical tape.
On September 11, 2021, Anardi rode his bike to an apartment where, the man who Anardi thought robbed him, lived. Anardi lit one bomb and thew it over the fence towards the apartment, but the bomb did not go off. Anardi then lit the second bomb and rolled it to the door of the apartment. The bomb exploded a few seconds later.
A resident inside a nearby apartment reported hearing a loud bang, and something hitting her door. The resident described the noise as being like someone hitting the door with a sledgehammer. She opened the door, saw the bomb, and called 911.
The Washington State Patrol Bomb squad (WSP) arrived and rendered the unexploded bomb safe. They collected several pieces of the exploded bomb, including one piece of the bomb that had been thrown 130 feet from the blast site. Investigators also found a coin and piece of metal wire embedded in the door of an apartment near where bomb exploded.
“Mr. Anardi built two deadly bombs that included homemade shrapnel and attempted to detonate them in an apartment complex full of people. Thankfully, no one was hurt by Mr. Anaradi’s reckless and dangerous behavior,” stated U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref. “My office is committed to working closely with our law enforcement partners to hold violent offenders accountable and build safer and stronger communities.”
“The danger posed by explosives such as the ones Mr. Anardi built and used cannot be overstated,” said ATF Seattle Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “Shrapnel from an explosion knows no difference between an intended target and an unintentional bystander, making this attempted attack that much more dangerous to the community. Because of this, we believe today’s prison sentence is well deserved.”
This case was investigated the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Timothy J. Ohms and Patrick J. Cashman.