PHILADELPHIA, PA – David Perez, 37, of North Philadelphia, is facing nearly a decade behind bars after being sentenced to 110 months in federal prison for a string of serious crimes, including manufacturing illegal explosive devices and targeting a local elementary school. U.S. District Court Judge Michael M. Baylson handed down the sentence Friday, along with three years of supervised release and hefty restitution orders.
Perez pled guilty to a litany of charges: engaging in the business of manufacturing explosive devices, possession of explosives as a convicted felon, malicious damage to a building receiving federal funds, illegal firearm possession, possession with intent to distribute PCP, and conspiracy to commit bank fraud. The ATF investigation revealed Perez had been churning out these dangerous devices for years, with his handiwork popping up at multiple ATM bombing scenes throughout the summer and fall of 2020. Investigators linked devices found at those scenes directly to Perez’s operation.
The most shocking act came on July 4, 2020, when Perez detonated several of his homemade explosives in the courtyard of the Honorable Luis Munoz-Marin Elementary School. The blast caused significant damage to the school building and grounds, shattering windows and requiring over $75,000 in repairs. The school district will receive $75,218.40 in restitution as a result of Perez’s actions. It wasn’t just the school that suffered; Wells Fargo Bank was defrauded of $43,500 as part of Perez’s criminal enterprise, and will receive $43,500 in restitution.
When authorities finally moved in on Perez in June 2021, they found more than just bomb-making materials. A search of his home uncovered multiple firearms and a distribution-level quantity of PCP, further cementing his status as a serious threat to public safety. The fact that Perez was already a convicted felon made the possession of both the explosives and firearms even more egregious.
“Perez’s Sentencing today should serve as a cautionary tale to others considering producing, possessing, or selling an illegal explosive device,” stated U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero. “Detonating powerful explosive devices on the grounds of an elementary school, and possession of firearms and distribution-quantity PCP, all by a convicted felon, is the very definition of a threat to public safety.” Romero emphasized that her office, along with law enforcement partners, will “continue to pursue these cases relentlessly,” and Perez will now spend nearly ten years in federal prison.
The case was a joint effort by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General, and the Philadelphia Police Department, with assistance from the Philadelphia Fire Marshal’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Amanda R. Reinitz prosecuted the case, bringing Perez to justice for his dangerous and destructive crimes.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Weapons|Violent Crime|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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