The man responsible for detonating a bomb outside the office of Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall last year has admitted his guilt and received a sentence on state charges.
Kyle Benjamin Douglas Calvert of Irondale has been sentenced to ten years in prison, according to Marshall. The sentencing comes after Calvert pleaded guilty to arson in the second degree and possession of an explosive device before Judge Greg Griffin.
Calvert had already received a nine-year prison sentence for federal charges. Marshall states that Calvert will serve both sentences at the same time.
On February 23, 2024, Calvert traveled from Birmingham to Montgomery, bringing with him an improvised explosive device (IED) consisting of a coffee can, dryer lint, lighter fluid, shrapnel, and fireworks, according to prosecutors.
Around 1:00 a.m. on February 24, he roamed the Alabama Capitol, affixing more than fifteen distinctive political stickers onto various buildings and structures. One of the stickers boldly proclaimed, “Support your local Antifa.”
According to prosecutors, Calvert began strolling toward Marshall’s office around 3:35 a.m., when he put the IED in the sidewalk near the southeast corner of the building at Washington Avenue and South Bainbridge Street. They believe he detonated the IED at 3:42 a.m., causing significant damage to the building.
“Mr. Calvert did not simply set off an explosive device at an office building — he attacked the state of Alabama and the freedom, liberty, and rule of law that govern all Alabama citizens,” Marshall said.
“The Attorney General’s Office is home to nearly two hundred dedicated employees who work tirelessly for this state. They deserve to perform their duties without fear for their safety. Today’s sentencing sends a clear message: terrorism against the people of Alabama will not be tolerated.”
In his plea agreement in federal court, Calvert asserts that he has no affiliations with Antifa.
