Would-be SCOTUS church bomber has long arrest record, including sex crime 

The man arrested with explosives outside a church preparing to hold a service for the opening of the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) has a significant criminal history, an investigation by The Lion reveals.

Louis E. Geri, 41, was arrested on Sunday with over 200 explosive devices after staging an unsuccessful terror attack outside the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington, D.C., the AP reports. The attempted attack was a protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), SCOTUS, Catholics and Jews, according to a manifesto found by police at the scene. 

A public records search by The Lion shows Geri was previously arrested in Arizona for indecent exposure for which he was convicted by a jury. 

Records from the Arizona Department of Corrections show Louis E. Geri, of Gilbert, Arizona, reported to prison on Aug. 8, 2022, and he was released May 28, 2023, serving 9 months of a one-year sentence. 

But prior to that, Geri reportedly had arrests for “improper use blue/red lights,” which is often used to commit law enforcement impersonation; “robbery that inflicts bodily injury or force”; damage to property; computer fraud; probation violations and a variety of less severe infractions. 

The would-be attack over the weekend was discovered at approximately 5:10 a.m. Police officers were assisting with preparations for the Red Mass, a Catholic mass meant to celebrate the opening term of the US Supreme Court, and they found Geri in a tent on the church steps. 

The church had previously barred Geri from its premises following a separate incident. 

When asked to vacate the premises, he refused and made alarming statements about possessing bombs, threatening to detonate them.  

“You might want to stay back and call the federales, I have explosives/bombs,” said Geri, according to an affidavit by Washington’s metro police department (MPD).    

The suspect said he had “a hundred plus” explosive devices and, if allowed, he would demonstrate one to the officers. 

The MPD Bomb Squad attempted to de-escalate the situation, but Geri threatened them and displayed vials containing yellow liquid with improvised detonation devices taped to the tops.  

He also gave an MPD officer nine sheets torn from his notebook containing his grievances behind the protest. 

The officer confirmed with the suspect the sheets were authored by him and the would-be bomber was acting alone.  

The sheets were titled, “Written Negotiations for the Avoidance of Destruction of Property via Detonation of Explosives.” 

Officers secured the area and executed an arrest after Geri tried to urinate nearby.  

“EOD technicians continued to conduct searching measures; which revealed a large cache of handmade destructive devices recovered from [defendant’s] tent,” said the MPD affidavit. “Further review of [the defendant’s] paperwork revealed his significant animosity towards the Catholic church, members of the Jewish faith, members of SCOTUS and ICE/ ICE facilities.” ​ 

Geri was charged with multiple offenses, including possession of destructive devices, threats, assault on police officers and resisting arrest. 

His personal effects and explosives were handed over to the FBI for further investigation, but no federal charges or terrorism enhancements have been added yet.  

However, the inclusion of the FBI in the processing of the bomb evidence likely means that the Department of Justice will take an interest in the case.  

The Red Mass incident will only heighten concern about leftwing violence in the wake of several high-profile assaults and assassinations, including the murder of Charlie Kirk on Sept. 10. 

Conservatives were outraged last week when a Biden-appointed judge gave a relatively light sentence to a transgender-identifying male who plotted to kill Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. 

Judge Deborah Boardman, a Biden appointee, sentenced Nicholas Roske to eight years in prison, despite the government asking for 30 years, reported Fox News.  

Geri is being held without bond but has a hearing scheduled for Thursday, according to the AP.