Colorado Springs Man Sentenced To Federal Prison For Illegally Possessing Improvised Destructive Devices

DENVER – United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn announced that Michael Robert Stevens, age 49, of Colorado Springs, was sentenced yesterday to serve 56 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years on supervised release for possession of improvised destructive devices and ammunition.  The Denver Field Division of the ATF joined in today’s announcement.

According to court documents, on October 27, 2018, the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) responded to a report of a suspected DUI.  The responding officer found Michael Robert Stevens passed out at the wheel of a truck.  While Stevens was being detained for driving under the influence, officers determined that the truck was stolen.  Inside, CSPD officers found a black bag that included two white PVC pipes capped on both ends that did not belong to the truck’s owner.  The PVC pipes were about 8-inches long.  The CSPD Regional Explosives Unit x-rayed the devices, finding suspected lead shot or fragmentation material.  Officers also recovered a red plastic bottle of Sterno fire starter and a clear glass jar containing a dark substance similar in appearance to the substance inside of the capped PVC pipes, which were determined to be improvised destructive devices.  Additionally, officers found 9 shotgun shells, which Stevens was also prohibited from possessing because he had previously been convicted of a felony. 

“Homemade explosive devices simply have no place in our community and will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn.  “Thanks to the great work of the CSPD, the ATF, and attorneys in my office, Mr. Stevens will now have more than four years in federal prison to think about the harm he could have caused.”  

“ATF’s partnerships with local law enforcement, such as the Colorado Springs Police Department, are one of our greatest assets in the fight against violent crime,” said ATF Denver Field Division Special Agent in Charge David Booth.  “We will continue to work with our partners to ensure the safety of our communities.”

Stevens was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Weiss.  U.S. District Court Judge R. Brooke Jackson pronounced Stevens’ sentence.  The case was investigated by the Denver Field Division of the ATF and the Colorado Springs Police Department.  

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado.  Related court documents can be found on PACER.  The defendant’s case number is 19-cr-508. 

This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.  For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.            

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.