NEWS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

JOHN F. WOOD

Contact Don Ledford, Public Affairs ● (816) 426-4220 ● 400 East Ninth Street, Room 5510 ● Kansas City, MO 64106

www.usdoj.gov/usao/mow/index.html

JUNE 21, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MOUNTAIN GROVE MAN INDICTED

FOR MAILING PIPE BOMB

            SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – John F. Wood, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Mountain Grove, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today on charges related to mailing a pipe bomb with the intent to injure another person.

             Donald W. Schamber, 60, Mountain Grove, was charged in a four-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Schamber on June 4, 2007, and adds three additional charges.

             Today’s indictment alleges that Schamber mailed a pipe bomb between May 31 and June 1, 2007. According to the affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, a postal carrier found the pipe bomb in a mail collection box in West Plains, Mo., on June 1, 2007. The explosive device was wrapped in brown packing paper and addressed to the West Plains Police Department, the affidavit says.

             The indictment also charges Schamber with a separate count of using explosive materials to commit the offense. Under federal statutes, a conviction on that count could result in a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, to be served consecutively to any sentence on the remaining three counts of the indictment. A conviction for mailing a destructive device with the intent to injure another person could result in a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole.

             Schamber is also charged with transporting explosive materials, and with making a destructive device. Under federal statutes, a conviction for either of those offenses could result in a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole.

            Wood cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

            This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Oliver. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Missouri Highway Patrol; the Howell County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office; the Oregon County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office; the Texas County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office; and the West Plains, Mo., Police and Fire Departments.

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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, is available on-line at

www.usdoj.gov/usao/mow/index.html