Stephen Powers, 31, of Gloucester County, was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison for possession of unregistered explosive devices and making false material statements to federal agents — the culmination of a chilling plot to detonate pipe bombs in the heart of Colonial Williamsburg.
The maintenance worker, employed by Colonial Williamsburg, used his access to build four explosive devices. In October 2017, he planted one near a commercial outlet programmed to activate decorative lighting at 5:00 p.m. daily. When the circuit fired, so did the bomb. Shrapnel rocketed over 200 feet, tearing through the historic district during a packed Homecoming weekend tied to the College of William and Mary. Had the blast occurred moments earlier, it could have killed or maimed dozens.
“Thanks to the professionalism, bravery, and collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement, Powers was brought to justice and will now pay the price for his cowardly criminal acts,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Thankfully, he will now be in a place where his apparent desire to hurt innocent individuals will be nearly impossible.”
Investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Williamsburg Police, Virginia State Bomb Squad, and FBI moved swiftly to identify Powers. Forensic analysis tied components to purchases made with his credit card. When confronted, Powers lied — claiming military service he never served and insisting his card had been stolen. Both claims unraveled under scrutiny.
“We should all feel extremely fortunate this individual’s recklessness and brazen indifference for human life did not result in someone being killed or seriously injured,” said Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Washington Field Division. “So long as there are criminals out there whose aim is to disrupt the peace in our communities, ATF will continue to advance its mission to combat violent crime.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric M. Hurt and Robert E. Bradenham II. U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen handed down the sentence. Court documents, including Case No. 4:18-cr-37, are available through the Eastern District of Virginia’s District Court or PACER.
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Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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