Peter Karasev, a 36-year-old man from San Jose, has been indicted by a federal criminal grand jury for alleged property damage and the use of explosives. The indictment includes two counts of damaging the property of an energy facility and one count of using fire or an explosive to commit a federal felony. Karasev has been in custody at the Elmwood men’s jail in Milpitas since his arrest by San Jose police.
The charges stem from two explosions reported on December 8 and January 5. The first explosion occurred outside the Macy’s department store at Westfield Oakridge Mall, while the second occurred at Snell Avenue and Santa Teresa Boulevard. The investigation into the more recent explosion led to the discovery of the mall bombing. Both incidents caused significant damage to surrounding buildings and resulted in a power outage affecting 1,000 customers.
In addition to the federal charges, Karasev is also facing multiple counts in the county case, including igniting a destructive device, arson, interfering with electrical lines, possessing bomb-making materials, and felony child endangerment. The latter charges are related to allegations that he conducted bomb-making activities with his three young children living in the same home.
It remains unclear whether the federal and county prosecutions will proceed simultaneously or if one will take precedence over the other. Karasev is scheduled to make his initial court appearance on the federal charges on November 9 in San Jose, while his next court date for the county case is set for December 6. He is currently being held without bail in county jail custody.
