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San Jose Engineer Gets 10 Years for Bombing PG&E Transformers

The sentence follows a guilty plea to federal charges for willful destruction of an energy facility.

Overview

  • U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman imposed a 120‑month prison term, three years of supervised release, $214,880.67 in restitution and a $200 special assessment, with immediate remand.
  • Peter Karasev admitted using homemade explosives to destroy transformers on Dec. 8, 2022 near Westfield Oakridge Mall and Jan. 5, 2023 near the Plaza Del Rey area of San Jose.
  • The attacks caused more than $200,000 in damage and cut power to over 1,500 households, including 15 customers in PG&E’s Medical Baseline Program.
  • Investigators recovered multiple improvised explosive devices, hazardous chemicals, firearms, remote‑detonation gear and more than 300 pounds of explosive materials.
  • Prosecutors said the Jan. 5 blast was captured on surveillance video, and the case was investigated by the FBI and San Jose police with the Justice Department’s national security team.