HAMMOND – The United States Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana, Thomas L. Kirsch II, announced that a grand jury sitting in South Bend returned a 5-count indictment against Eric P. Krieg, age 45, of Munster, Indiana.
Krieg was indicted on the following charges:
Count 1- Making an Unregistered Destructive Device
Count 2- Mailing a Destructive Device
Count 3- Malicious Use of Explosive Materials
Count 4- Possessing a Destructive Device In Furtherance of a Crime of Violence
Count 5- Mailing a Threatening Communication
The indictment alleges from at least 2012 through August 2017, Krieg engaged in a series of online postings and communications concerning other residents of Northwest Indiana. Krieg made these statements in multiple online forums, including a webpage “blog” format that he controlled. A lawsuit was filed in the Lake County, Indiana Superior Court in 2013 based upon statements Krieg made on his blog. After the lawsuit was filed against Krieg, he filed for bankruptcy. Victim 1 was the attorney who represented an individual in a lawsuit against Krieg. Through filings in Bankruptcy Court, Victim 1 claimed the lawsuit could not be discharged in bankruptcy. Krieg and Victim 1’s client agreed to settle the lawsuit. The settlement required Krieg to pay the client $45,000 and post an apology on Krieg’s blog.
The indictment alleges that an explosion took place at an U. S. Postal facility in East Chicago, Indiana on or about September 6, 2017 injuring a Postal Service employee (Victim 2). The package that exploded was addressed to Victim 1. The indictment also alleges that on or about September 29, 2017, a suspicious package was mailed to Victim 3 that contained a threat to injure Victim 3.
U.S. Attorney Kirsch said, “When individuals use dangerous, explosive devices as the means to commit or attempt to commit violent acts, those individuals will be held accountable for their actions. We will continue to partner with our Federal, State and Local law enforcement agencies to vigorously investigate and prosecute all manner of violent crime.”
