OAKLAND—On September 23, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California under Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a press release announcing the results of the sentencing hearing for Casey Robert Goonan, 35. Goonan, who previously lived in both Oakland and Pleasant Hill, was sentenced on September 23 to 235 months of federal prison for a series of arsons and fire bombings targeting the University of California at Berkeley and the Oakland Federal building in June of 2024.
In January 2025, Goonan pleaded guilty to one count of maliciously damaging/destroying property used in/affecting interstate commerce by way of fire or explosives.
Senior U.S. District Judge, Jeffrey S. White presided in the sentencing hearing. Judge White referred to Goonan as a “Domestic Terrorist” as the suspect involved, he committed felony offenses with the intent to “promote a federal crime of terrorism.”
According to court documents, on the early morning of June 1, 2024, Goonan placed a bag containing six explosive devices known as “Molotov cocktails,” underneath the fuel tank of a University of California Police Department (UCPD) patrol car on the UC Berkeley campus.
Goonan then lit the bag on fire causing the patrol car to catch fire and fled the scene. His actions were captured on surveillance footage provided as evidence by UC Berkeley.
On June 11, 2024, Goonan attempted to firebomb the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse located at 1301 Clay St. in Oakland. Goonan approached the Federal Building and reportedly threw rocks at the building in an attempt shatter the glass so he could throw the Molotov cocktails he had in his bag into the building.
Goonan’s plan was foiled by the presence of security. Goonan then left his bag of Molotov cocktails in a nearby planter and lit it on fire before fleeing the scene.
Reports indicate that in addition to these fires, Goonan also set other fires at UC Berkeley on June 1, June 13, and June 16, 2024.
Goonan acknowledged that he was indeed responsible for these fires suggesting to the court that his actions were inspired by Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. He admitted he was calling on others to join him in his pro-Palestine efforts and encouraging people to attack property at other Bay area college campuses.
According to Goonan, his conduct was to purposely influence and affect the actions of governments by intimidation and coercion, and to retaliate against the U.S. and the State of California as punishment for their conduct.
U.S. Attorney, Craig Missakian issued the following statement.
“Freedom of expression and peaceful protest are deeply enshrined values in America. We are all free to think; what we want and express those views peacefully, but the use of violence to achieve political aims or to silence those whom you may disagree, has no place in our community and our country. Anyone who crosses the line between protest and violence will be met with full force of the law.”
The following came directly from the DOJ press release.
“In addition to the prison term, Judge White also ordered the defendant serve 15 years of supervised release after he is released from custody and ordered restitution in the amount of $94,267.51 and a $100 special assessment. The defendant has been in custody since his initial arrest on state charges on June 17, 2024.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nikhil Bhagat is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Tina Rosenbaum. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, ATF, the California Office of the State Fire Marshal, and UCPD.”
