Man Sentenced for Conspiring with his Son to Manufacture Two Pipe Bombs

A man was sentenced today after pleading guilty to one count of conspiring with his son to manufacture and possess pipe bombs that were planted inside a woman’s vehicle, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell sentenced Berry Albert Nichols, 54, of Mounds, to 30 months in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release. 

Berry Nichols pleaded guilty on Aug. 7, 2018, to one count of conspiring with his son, Christopher Nichols, to purchase materials at a hardware store to create two pipe bombs. He acknowledged knowing his son would later plant the IEDs in the woman’s car at the Creek County Courthouse while she attended a hearing. 

“Pipe bombs are illegal improvised explosive devices no matter the intended use,” said U.S. Attorney Shores. “The danger pipe bombs present is real and could result in someone’s death or severe injury. We are satisfied with this sentence and the accountability it brings to Mr. Nichols. We are fortunate no one was injured by his pipe bombs. Our local law enforcement partners and the ATF did a tremendous job during this investigation and in rendering these devices safe.”

Berry Nichols was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service for transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.

On Dec. 7, 2017, Judge Dowdell sentenced Christopher Dean Nichols, 24, of  Sapulpa, to 44 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for the crime of conspiring to unlawfully manufacture and possess the two IEDs. In his plea hearing, Christopher Nichols admitted to adding explosive powder to a pipe, threading a fuse through one end of each device and placing BBs inside. He stated that he placed the pipe bombs in the woman’s car in an effort to scare her since the two were opposing parties in court.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Sapulpa Police Department and the Tulsa Police Department Bomb Squad conducted the investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Allen J. Litchfield prosecuted the case.