DENVER (LAWFUEL) – Jack L. Chrisman, age 45, of Greeley, Colorado, was sentenced last week to serve 63 months (over 5 years) in federal prison for possession of a pipe bomb, United States Attorney Troy A. Eid and ATF Special Agent in Charge Richard E. Chase announced. The sentence was pronounced by Senior U.S. District Court Judge John L. Kane. After serving his prison sentence, the defendant was ordered to serve 3 years of Supervised Release. Chrisman, who was in custody, was remanded and ordered to start serving his sentence immediately.
Jack L. Chrisman was indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver on June 16, 2008. He pled guilty before Senior U.S. District Court Judge John L. Kane on August 21, 2008. He was sentenced on November 3, 2008.
According to the stipulated facts contained in the plea agreement, on April 26, 2008, Chrisman was pulled over by the Greeley Police Department for a traffic violation. He was then arrested for driving on a revoked driver license. During a search incident to arrest, Greeley Police officers found a pipe bomb underneath Chrisman’s car seat. The pipe bomb was a silver cylinder with two end caps and a fuse. The bomb contained explosive materials as well as metal BB’s. During the investigation agents revealed that Chrisman had previously detonated a similar pipe bomb.
“Possess a pipe bomb, go to prison,” said United States Attorney Troy Eid.
Special Agent in Charge Richard E. Chase of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Denver Field Division, praised the quick action of the Greeley Police Department Gang Unit officers for the arrest of Chrisman and their investigative efforts that kept a deadly explosive out of the hands of a violent criminal. “This pipe bomb was especially dangerous,” Chase noted, “because it contained projectiles designed to maximize its collateral damage.”
This case was investigated by the Denver Field Office (Arson and Explosives) of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), in partnership with the Greeley Police Department Gang Unit, as part of ATF’s mission to reduce violent crime and other threats to public safety.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Sibert.
