EVERETT — A 54-year-old Everett man appeared in federal court Thursday after being federally charged in connection with a New Years Eve pipe bombing incident that police say was racially motivated.
Steven Goldstine was transferred to federal custody Thursday morning and made his first appearance Thursday in U.S. District Court in Seattle.
In court, Goldstine remained seated as Magistrate Judge Paula L. McCandlis Chambers read the charges to him. When asked if he understood, Goldstein responded “yes.”
Goldstine was initially arrested March 17 and booked into the Snohomish County Jail on suspicion of arson, unlawful possession of an explosive, malicious mischief, placement of an explosive and a hate crime offense.
The incident occurred Dec. 31 in the 3100 block of Rockefeller Avenue, where police responded to an explosion at an apartment complex parking lot.
Officers arrived to find a 2000 Ford Explorer heavily damaged by the blast, with shattered windows, a torn interior and shrapnel embedded in the roof, police documents said. Debris was scattered across the area.
The victims of the car bombing, both people of color, told police they suspected Goldstine, citing a history of racial harassment, police documents said. One day after the explosion, they received a voicemail containing racial slurs and a reference to the blast.
On Jan. 22, the victim played the voicemail for detectives.
“Hey you (racial slur and expletive) … are you still having breathing problems … how is your car running … boy what an explosion that was,” the voicemail said, according to police documents.
Investigators compared the voicemail to recorded interactions with the suspect and found a strong vocal match, police documents said.
During a police interview, Goldstine denied having any issues with the victim on the day of the explosion and said he had not been near her apartment building, according to court documents. He told investigators he had been at home watching movies on Tubi TV.
Investigators told Goldstine they believed he was the person who threw an explosive into the victim’s car and asked him to explain his motive, documents said. Goldstine maintained his innocence and denied involvement. When played the voicemail left on the victim’s phone, he claimed he had not made the call and said the voice on the recording was not his, documents said.
Video footage from the apartment complex and other cameras showed the alleged bomber’s clothing and direction of travel.
A search of Goldstine’s home uncovered a green-hooded coat and boots matching those seen in the video footage from the scene, along with tools believed to have been used in constructing the pipe bomb, police said. Officers also seized over 700 rounds of ammunition and a stockpile of fireworks.
The same victims had reported previous incidents, including one on Nov. 27, 2023, when Goldstine allegedly used a racial slur during a physical altercation. Body camera footage captured him repeating the slurs, though he was taken to a hospital rather than arrested at the time.
Goldstine has prior felony convictions for burglary, arson and possession of stolen property, which prohibit him from possessing firearms or ammunition, documents said. In September 2020, he was arrested after allegedly pointing a handgun at Black Lives Matter protesters in downtown Everett.
The action was captured on video, the press release said. In the search of Goldstine’s home in 2020, law enforcement seized the firearm. The federal complaint filed this week charges Goldstine with that illegal firearms possession.
Goldstine now faces federal charges of unlawful possession of a destructive device, unlawful possession of ammunition and unlawful possession of a firearm.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison for each count of unlawful possession of a firearm and a destructive device and up to 15 years for unlawful possession of ammunition, the release said.
His preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 24.
This is a developing story. Check back for further updates.
Aspen Anderson: 425-339-3192; aspen.anderson@heraldnet.com; X: @aspenwanderson.
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