News

'Bishop' pipe bomber apologizes in Chicago court

Posted April 20, 2013 9:00 am

Associated Press

CHICAGO — A former Iowa letter carrier who sent dud pipe bombs to investment firms has apologized in a federal courtroom in Chicago.

John Tomkins told a judge that he was "incredibly sorry" and that "there are no words to describe the shame" he feels.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports (http://bit.ly/Z6L0Cg ) that Tomkins made the apology at a pre-sentencing hearing Friday.

In court testimony last year, Tomkins admitted to sending threatening letters and nonfunctioning bombs to investment advisers from 2005 to early 2007. It was part of a scheme to drive up the value of stocks he owned.

Tomkins became known as "The Bishop" bomber after signing his notes with that moniker.

A jury found him guilty of all 12 charges he faced.

Judge Robert Dow says he will sentence Tomkins May 21.

Article Comments

Article Categories
Chicago News Region

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.