Spokane, Washington – Senior U.S. District Judge Rosanna Malouf Peterson has sentenced Timothy Richard Ray Riggins, 33, of Moses Lake, Washington, to 70 months in federal prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm and an improvised destructive device. Judge Peterson also ordered Riggins to serve three years on federal supervision after he is released from prison.
According to court records, in the early morning hours on November 3, 2019, the Moses Lake Police Department (“MLPD”) received a 911 call from a woman who reported that Riggins had just assaulted her, stolen her vehicle, and was in possession of a bomb. The woman explained that the bomb was in a fanny pack and that she was concerned for the safety of a friend. She also said that Riggins had threatened her with the bomb and had held a lighter next to the fuse, stating that she should not “mess with a guy like him.”
MLPD was familiar with Riggins, a documented Norteno criminal street gang member, and knew he had an active felony warrant for his arrest from the Washington State Department of Corrections. Officers located the woman’s vehicle and tracked Riggins to a nearby residence. While executing a search warrant at the residence, officers found Riggins hiding inside a top loading washing machine. Along Riggins’ path of travel from the stolen vehicle to the residence, officers recovered a fanny pack that contained a large, operable commercial firework with more than 20 nails taped to the outside, with a large fuse. The officers also found two additional improvised destructive devices near the fanny pack.
In imposing sentence, Judge Peterson noted the significant nature and seriousness of Riggins’ offense, highlighting the dangerous fact that if the devices had detonated, they could have seriously altered, or even destroyed, the victim’s life. Judge Peterson also considered Riggins’ longstanding gang membership and lengthy criminal history.
“Thanks to quick-thinking and responsive law enforcement, officers got to Mr. Riggins’ bombs before he could detonate them and harm innocent people,” said Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. “This case demonstrates the importance of the ‘see something, say something’ principle: we all have an obligation to look out for one another and ensure that our community in Eastern Washington remains safe and strong. I am grateful not only to the hard-working people of the Moses Lake Police Department and ATF, but to the responding witness, whose 911 call prevented what could have been a truly tragic outcome. Mr. Riggins and others who seek to endanger people in this community may seek to run, but they cannot hide—even in washing machines.”
“The 70-month sentence for Mr. Riggins is clearly justified for his illegal possession of both a firearm and an improvised destructive device – as well as for his use of a destructive device in a threatening manner,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan T. McPherson. “The streets of Moses Lake and Grant County will surely be safer with Mr. Riggins in federal prison.”
This case was prosecuted under the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is a federal, state, and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement to specifically identify the criminals responsible for violent crime in the Eastern District of Washington and pursue criminal prosecution.
This case was investigated by the Spokane Resident Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”) and the Moses Lake Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Caitlin Baunsgard, an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.