Michigan Man Sentenced Three Years Prison Bomb Plot Massachusetts Temple

Luke Isaac Terpstra, a 31-year-old man from Grant, Michigan, was sentenced to three years in prison for possession of unregistered destructive devices after he admitted to traveling to Salem, Massachusetts in September 2023 with homemade bombs, firearms, and ammunition intending to destroy the Satanic Temple by setting it on fire. Terpstra built several improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that included containers with coins or rifle ammunition and cannon fuses. He pleaded guilty in April 2025 and was also ordered to pay a fine of $750 and a special assessment of $100. U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey emphasized that the significant sentence reinforces accountability for those who build bombs intending to harm civilians and damage property. FBI Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson highlighted the case as a strong message that threats to national safety will be met with full legal accountability, praising the investigative work of the FBI and local law enforcement. The case underlines federal commitment to preventing violence and protecting the public from dangerous actors.