San Jose man charged in PG&E transformer bombings now faces federal indictment
Peter Karasev was indicted by a federal criminal grand jury last week on allegations he planted explosives on electrical equipment in South San Jose
SAN JOSE, Calif. — According to authorities and court records, a man who was already jailed and charged locally with planting bombs on PG&E electrical transformers in South San Jose now faces a federal indictment for the same alleged crimes.
A federal criminal grand jury indicted Peter Karasev, 36, of San Jose, on Oct. 19. The indictment charges him with two counts of causing property damage to an energy facility and one count of committing a federal felony while using fire or an explosive.
Karasev has been detained at the Elmwood men’s jail in Milpitas since his arrest on March 1 by San Jose police in connection with an investigation into two explosions reported on December 8 — outside the Macy’s department store at Westfield Oakridge Mall — and January 5 at Snell Avenue and Santa Teresa Boulevard.
The mall bombing was discovered after police began investigating a more recent case in which a transformer exploded, causing damage to surrounding buildings and blowing out the windows of a dental office. Because of the explosions, 1,000 customers lost power.
Karasev was charged with two counts of igniting a destructive device, one count of arson, two counts of interfering with electrical lines, one count of possessing bomb-making materials, and three counts of felony child endangerment in Santa Clara County. The latter charges stem from allegations that he engaged in bomb-making activities with his three young children who shared a home.
There was no indication Tuesday that the federal case would disrupt or replace the county prosecution; the district attorney’s office told this news organization that the local case would remain open.
Around the time Karasev’s arrest was announced, his Potomac Court home near Gunderson High School was the site of a multi-day warrant search by San Jose police, who were later joined by FBI and National Guard explosives specialists due to the breadth of explosive materials discovered. Police said they discovered “homemade liquid explosive, multiple energetic homemade destructive devices, and multiple suspected destructive devices,” as well as unspecified bomb-making materials and pipe bombs during the search.
Police used surveillance video, including footage from a parked Tesla, and mobile phone ping tracking to determine who was in the areas during the early-morning explosions. According to an investigative summary accompanying the local criminal complaint, this led them to suspect Karasev.
A few minutes before the explosion, surveillance video showed a person riding a bicycle toward the alleged bombing site on Jan. 5 — a strip mall on the southwest corner of Snell and Santa Teresa. The footage showed the individual leaving a backpack next to the transformer and bicycling away, followed by the explosion.
According to reports, PG&E employees told investigators that the transformer damage “was in an inward direction” and that they “thought the cause was from an external explosive device.”
Both transformer explosions occurred between 1:45 a.m. and 3 a.m., and similarities between the two — the same general location, time, and method — led San Jose detectives to believe they were the work of the same person. According to police, cell phone tracking revealed that one device was present at and around both scenes, and a cell-service warrant revealed Karasev was in the overlap.
Investigators spoke with a woman who identified herself as Karasev’s mother; she reportedly confirmed that he would go on late-night bicycle rides. Police said they found a mountain bike at Karasev’s house that matched the one seen on surveillance near the Jan. 5 explosion.
Detectives also claim that in a police interview, Karasev stated that he thought he was arrested because he was testing model rockets, which also served as his explanation for having explosive materials.
According to federal court records, Karasev is scheduled to appear in court on the new charges on Nov. 9 in San Jose. His next court date in the county case is set for December 6. He is still in county jail custody and is being held without bail.
