A San Bernardino man was sentenced July 20 to eight years in federal prison for possession of a pipe bomb.
Police found a pipe bomb in Michael Allen Starkweather’s apartment on Oct. 15, 2022.
They had been called to the scene due to a reported stabbing.
Starkweather admitted to the police that the pipe bomb was his. He pleaded guilty to possession of an unregistered firearm April 24, 2023.
A week earlier, Starkweather was found with stolen mail, stolen debit cards, stolen medical records, stolen signed checks and two master keys used to access mailboxes,.
Starkweather has seen 13 convictions since he turned 19 years old in 2004, including four for controlled substances, one for evading police and one for vehicle theft, according to the prosecutor’s sentencing memorandum.
In a letter to the judge, Starkweather pleaded for a short sentence in order to raise his three children. He said his addiction to methamphetamine has caused him to make bad choices.
“I know I’ve gotten myself into a big mess right now, I sincerely apologize for my immature actions,” he wrote.
He also said the stabbing victim was driven to his house by Starkweather’s cousin, and that he was not stabbed at his apartment.
“My son really needs me out there, prison really hasn’t helped me at all, what I need is ‘rehab’,” Starkweather wrote.
Recent charge
In 2021, Starkweather reportedly telephoned a child numerous times to arrange for sex.
He was charged with a misdemeanor count of an annoying and obscene telephone call and a felony count of contacting a minor for a sexual offense, court records show.
The felony count was dropped when he pleaded no contest to the misdemeanor.
California Central District Judge Stephen Wilson presided.
Assistant United States Attorneys Sean Peterson and Mitchell Suliman prosecuted.
Deputy Federal Public Defender Young Kim defended.
Case No. 5:22-cr-00271
Read the indictment here.
Read the plea deal here.
Read Starkweather’s sentencing memorandum here.
Read the government’s sentencing memorandum here.
