An Everett, Washington man was sentenced to five years in federal prison after using a pipe bomb to destroy a neighbor’s car in an attack prosecutors said was motivated by racial hatred toward a Black couple living at the same apartment complex.
Steven Goldstine, 55, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Seattle after pleading guilty in September 2025 to three federal felonies: unlawful possession of a destructive device, unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition. U.S. District Judge John H. Chun described the conduct as “serious and quite frankly horrifying,” citing racist statements made by the defendant.
According to court records, the explosion occurred on Dec. 31, 2024, when a pipe bomb detonated in a car parked at an Everett apartment complex. No one was injured, but the vehicle was destroyed. The victims told police they suspected Goldstine due to an ongoing conflict with him.
The following day, the couple received a voicemail from Goldstine in which he used racial slurs and referenced the explosion, investigators said. Surveillance video from the apartment complex and nearby businesses helped police identify clothing linked to the bombing that was later found at Goldstine’s residence.
A search of Goldstine’s home also uncovered more than 700 rounds of ammunition, which he was prohibited from possessing due to prior felony convictions, including burglary, arson and possession of stolen property. Investigators said Goldstine was also illegally in possession of a firearm.
Court records show Goldstine had a history of violent conduct. In 2020, law enforcement seized a firearm from his home after he was recorded pointing a gun at protesters in Everett. Prosecutors also cited prior incidents involving assaults, threats and multiple arson convictions dating back to the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Goldstine was sentenced to 60 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. As a condition of his release, the judge ordered one year of electronic location monitoring.
