Two men from Massachusetts have been charged with federal crimes following an explosion at Harvard Medical School last weekend. The accused, Logan David Patterson, 18, from Plymouth, and Dominick Frank Cardoza, 20, from Bourne, were arrested on Tuesday and are scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston for arraignment this afternoon.
The federal charges include one count of conspiracy to damage property by means of an explosive. U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts, Leah Foley, revealed during a news conference that the two men placed a commercial-grade firework, described as a Roman candle, inside a locker located on the fourth floor of the Goldenson Building on Longwood Avenue in Boston early Saturday morning. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported as a result of the explosion.
Surveillance footage showed two individuals fleeing the scene just before 3 a.m. on the day of the incident. Later that evening, Harvard police released images of two masked suspects, seeking the public’s assistance in identifying them. According to prosecutors, media coverage surrounding the explosion led to tips from individuals who recognized Patterson and Cardoza.
Both men were reportedly visiting the Wentworth Institute of Technology for Halloween parties during the time of the explosion. The Goldenson Building is known for hosting various neuroscience-related facilities, including laboratories dedicated to brain research.
Court documents indicate that Patterson and Cardoza were captured on surveillance cameras climbing over a chain-link fence and entering a construction area adjacent to the Goldenson Building just minutes before the explosion occurred. Investigators noted that the duo ascended scaffolding to access the roof of the building.
After the explosion, the men were seen on the fifth floor and later exited the building via an emergency exit on the first floor. At 2:57 a.m., a surveillance camera on Autumn Street and Longwood Avenue recorded Cardoza sitting on a bench, discarding pajama pants into a garbage bin. Meanwhile, Patterson was spotted on cameras at the Wentworth campus starting at 3:09 a.m., where he entered a dormitory to charge his phone before leaving about 30 minutes later to meet Cardoza and another individual.
Ted Docks, the special agent in charge for FBI Boston, emphasized the seriousness of the situation, stating that the act of setting off an explosive device at an educational institution is far from a harmless prank. "It's selfish, it's shortsighted, and it's a federal crime," Docks declared during a press conference.
In response to the incident, the Goldenson Building reopened for classes on Monday, but increased patrols were implemented on the medical school campus as a precautionary measure. The Goldenson Building is located near prominent hospitals, including Boston Children's Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital, along Longwood Avenue.
If found guilty of the federal charges, both Patterson and Cardoza could face a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison. The case underscores the severe consequences that can arise from reckless behavior and the legal ramifications of endangering public safety.
