December 16, 2014

Oklahoma Man Sentenced to 84 Months for Threatening to Kill Sheriff Joseph Arpaio with a Bomb

PHOENIX—Gregory Lynn Shrader, 56, of Jay, Okla., was sentenced to 84 months of imprisonment by Judge Neil V. Wake, on Dec. 16, 2014. Shrader had been convicted by a federal jury on Sept, 11, 2014, for willfully making a threat to kill Sheriff Joe Arpaio by means of an explosive, transport of explosive material with the intent to intimidate Sheriff Arpaio, mailing injurious articles, and possession of explosive material by a prohibited possessor.

The evidence at trial showed that Shrader constructed an improvised explosive device that had the appearance of a functioning explosive containing working components and explosive smokeless powder. Shrader addressed a package containing the device to Sheriff Arpaio, with a return address belonging to a former business partner. Shrader deposited his package in a remote Flagstaff collection box on April 10, 2013.

Additionally, the evidence at trial showed that Shrader threatened to kill Sheriff Arpaio with a mail bomb as an act of revenge hoping that law enforcement would take the threat seriously and investigate his former business partner.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Raymond K. Woo and Paul Stearns.