44-year-old man arrested for series of bombing incidents in Fresno: PD
Anderson had left the Fresno area on February 23. On February 24, he was arrested during a traffic stop in Riverside.
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A man is facing federal and state charges in connection to a series of bombing incidents across Fresno.
On Tuesday, police said that 44-year-old Scott Anderson was arrested for seven incidents that started on December 13.
Authorities say that one of the incidents happened at the Fresno County probation office, where a bomb went off inside one of the patrol units. Six of the incidents involved cars, and the seventh involved a mailbox.
During their investigation, police say they discovered there could be ties between Anderson and a White supremacist group.
Fresno Police Paco Balderrama said there was no reason to believe that the bombings were going to stop, leading to quick action.
Authorities are still investigating the motivation behind the crimes.
"On January the 8th of 2023 detectives from the northwest policing district responded to 3560 west San Jose avenue for a pipe bomb detonation under a vehicle," said Balderrama. "Detectives learned that there was an additional pipe bomb detonated inside the same vehicle on January the 6th"
Balderrama says they were able to narrow in on Anderson following that bombing and gathered more evidence on another incident that occurred on December 13th.
There would be four more bombings, three involving vehicles.
That includes the final bombing of a probation officer's vehicle on February 21.
"It became apparent very quickly that the suspect or suspects in this case were professing in skill level of making bombs and also their frequency," said Balderrama.
Balderrama says three separate locations related to Anderson were identified and search warrants were written, but he says Anderson left Fresno on February 23.
The next day, Anderson was arrested by deputies in Riverside, along with his partner.
Due to the nature of the arrest, nearby residents had to be evacuated as a precaution.
After Anderson's arrest, a series of search warrants led to four more arrests for a number of drug and firearms violations.
"The people of the state of California will be filing, have filed a criminal complaint alleging 4 different defendants for the actions we have been speaking about that occurred in January and February of 2023," said Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp.
One of those four, identified as Frank Rocha, was also charged with possession of bomb-making materials.
He is still awaiting extradition to Fresno and was arrested alongside Anderson in Riverside County.
Anderson has since been booked in the Fresno County Jail on a no-bail status.
He also faces federal charges in three of the bombings.
"As alleged in the federal complaint, the three pipe bombings that are charged all damaged vehicles that are involved in interstate commerce," said US Attorney Phil Talbert.
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