An inmate has been sentenced to 80 years in federal prison after constructing two bombs behind bars. These explosives were mailed to federal court in Anchorage, Alaska, and to the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.
David Dwayne Cassadie, 57, pleaded guilty to two charges of malicious attempted use of explosives, as federal prosecutors announced the sentence on Tuesday.
His lawyer, Tina Maddox, expressed that the inmate experiences significant anxiety and gender discomfort. She described the crime as “an act of despair born out of merciless abuse, despair and mental pain.” Cassadie, who is a transgender woman now known as Lena Noel Summerlin, was highlighted in court documents submitted on July 8.
The indictment notes that both bombs were created in a state prison located in Tatonal County, Georgia, but it does not specify how these devices were made or where the materials were sourced.
According to legal documents, the bombs were functional and could explode. Cassadie allegedly viewed the act as “retaliation against the prison situation.”
Records from the Georgia Department of Corrections indicate that since the early 1990s, Cassadie has been incarcerated for multiple offenses, including serious crimes like temptation and aggravated sodomy.
U.S. Attorney Brian Sterling mentioned that the explosives posed a threat not just to the specific recipients but also to everyone involved in the transportation and delivery process. Rodney Hopkins, an inspector for the Atlanta division of the U.S. Postal Service, added that the defendant aimed to create fear among both the targets and the public.
