Nazi Memorabilia Collector Accused of 7 Pipe Bombings in California

A man with a large collection of Nazi and white supremacist regalia has been arrested in connection with a string of pipe bombings around Fresno, California. 

Police say that Scott Anderson, 44, was responsible for seven pipe bombings in total since Dec. 13. Six of the devices were placed under vehicles (one of which was a county probation vehicle) and the seventh explosion involved a mailbox. 

Though no one was injured in the bombings, the devices were becoming more sophisticated over time, Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama said in a press conference Wednesday. 

“It became apparent very quickly that the suspect, or suspects, in this case were progressing in skill level of making bombs, and also their frequency,” Balderrama said. 

Anderson is currently facing two sets of charges, federal and state. Four of Anderson’s alleged associates—Paul New, Amanda Sanders, Frank Rocha, and Steven Burkett—are also facing an array of state charges, including possession of bomb making materials, selling methamphetamine, and owning guns despite prior felony convictions. 

In the press conference, Balderrama said investigators are exploring whether Anderson’s apparent affiliation with white supremacist groups had anything to do with the bombings. 

Police recovered flags, banners, and a collection of mugs emblazoned with Nazi symbols from his residence. One of the flags they recovered features a totenkopf, an image of a skull used by an elite division of Nazi Waffen-SS that’s become increasingly popular among modern American white supremacist groups. Anderson also had a baseball cap featuring the text “14 Words”—a reference to a white supremacist slogan, as well as a T-shirt saying “Smash Cultural Marxism” alongside words like “Race,” “Nation,” and “Heritage.”

“This is still very early on in the investigation, we have a lot of evidence and information to look through,” Balderrama said. “At this point, we can’t say that the motivation was a hate crime or whether the victims were targeted because of their race—That’s a possibility, and we haven’t solidified the connections to white supremacist groups, but is that a possibility? Yes, it is.”

In addition to the Nazi regalia, authorities say they seized 11 firearms (owned illegally, due to Anderson’s previous felony conviction), hundreds of rounds of ammo, and almost 90 grams of methamphetamine that was packed and seemed to be ready for sale. 

In addition to the county probation vehicle, Anderson allegedly targeted two auto body shops, and a home healthcare business. 

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