A Whittemore Man Pleads Guilty to Placing Pipe Bombs at Cellphone Businesses in Cheboygan and Sault Ste. Marie

A Whittemore, Michigan man has plead guilty to two separate crimes related to placing improvised explosive devices outside of cellphone stores in Cheboygan and Sault Ste. Marie. John Douglas Allen pleaded guilty to charges on Tuesday, before U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Ludington, and faces up to 20 ears in jail. Allen recounted in court, back in September 2021, he had placed a pipe bomb outside an AT&T store in Sault Ste. Marie. And later that day placed another pipe bomb outside a Verizon Wireless store in Cheboygan. Both improvised explosives contained shrapnel, along with a note demanding five million dollars. Allen additionally plead guilty to placing threatening letters directed at telecommunications providers in the Upper Peninsula, at cell phone towers. Allen’s sentencing is scheduled for November 9th.