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Documents: Eastern Washington men with ties to "boogaloo" movement used fireworks to create explosives

Daniel James Anderson of Kennewick and Connor Duane Goodman of Auburn allegedly conspired to build explosives to be used against law enforcement personnel.
Credit: KREM 2
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SPOKANE, Wash. — Two Eastern Washington men associated with an anti-government militia group have been indicted on criminal charges after allegedly conspiring to build explosives to be used against law enforcement personnel, according to court documents.

The charges include conspiracy to make or possess an unregistered destructive device and possession of an unregistered destructive device, as well as allegations of forfeiture. 

According to court documents, Daniel James Anderson of Kennewick and Connor Duane Goodman of Auburn are members of a self-described anti-authority group known as the Verified Bois.

The Verified Bois reportedly share the same beliefs associated with the "boogaloo" movement, a network of people who believe a second United States civil war is coming. The boogaloo movement reportedly espouses anti-government and anti-authority rhetoric, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

Indictment documents state that Anderson and Goodman conducted training events for other members of the group, in which they and other members "practiced small unit tactics, raids, firearms handling and manipulation, and survival skills." Investigators said at least one of these trainings occurred in Eastern Washington.

During these trainings, the two allegedly discussed attacking police personnel they perceived to be aggressive.

During a Verified Bois meeting in May 2021, documents said Goodman talked about loading a vehicle with a commercial explosive, which would turn the car into an "improvised explosive device."

Anderson also used a social media platform in June 2021 to request flash powder or fireworks containing magnesium and phosphorus from other group members. The indictment said he did this so he could build an explosive device.

In response to Anderson's request, Goodman reportedly obtained fireworks from a tribal reservation in Western Washington in June 2021. Goodman then arranged to send the fireworks to Anderson, who was in Eastern Washington at that time.

Anderson then received a package that contained five Thundercracker KK0033 fireworks from a "confidential source," according to documents. During the exchange, Anderson told the source that he planned to use the fireworks to make improvised explosive devices (IED). He also told the source that he planned to make handheld IEDs that could "be used at protests or thrown over the front line of law enforcement officers and explode behind them."

Two months later, Anderson informed the source that he has successfully designed two IEDs.

The indictment said Anderson took to social media in Sept. 2021 to describe his devices. He referred to them as "distraction devices" and said they "aren't training tools. I wouldn't be anywhere near this thing. It's going to throw shrapnel like a MF."

Goodman later allegedly sold the source 12 mortar-style fireworks that he said he wanted to be constructed into IEDs.

Anderson was arrested and taken into custody in December 2021. It is not known if or when Goodman was arrested. No pleas have been entered at this time.

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