Feds Arrest Two for Leaving Incendiary Device at Sacramento Federal Courthouse

Early Wednesday morning law enforcement officials arrested two individuals on charges of attempted arson of a federal facility and possession of an unregistered destructive device. The arrests of Matthew Fraticelli, 30, and Stephanie Shinn, 35, both of Sacramento, are related to an incendiary device discovered on the east side of the Sacramento Federal Courthouse over the week-end.

The device, contained in a paper grocery bag, was discovered on Sunday morning at about 4:47 a.m., by Federal Protection Service personnel during routine patrol. The improvised device, a Heineken 5 liter draught keg with the word “Fraticelli” written in bold black ink on the side of the keg, contained one gallon of flammable liquid. Attached to the side of the keg with duct tape was a pill bottle that had what appeared to be an M-80 protruding from the lid.

Officers and agents reviewed video from a closed circuit television system and observed a male walking northbound on 6th Street carrying a brown paper bag at about 8:20 p.m. on Saturday evening. The male eventually walks out of the view of the surveillance camera but approximately 19 seconds later he is observed running southbound on 6th Street without the brown paper bag. He eventually meets with a female pushing a baby stroller and both of them continue to jog away from the view of the camera. Investigators were able to determine that the two individuals caught on video were Fraticelli and Shinn.

Agencies assisting with this investigation include the Sacramento Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Federal Protection Service, U.S. Marshals Service and the FBI.

Both Shinn and Fraticelli will make their initial appearance in federal court today at 2:00 p.m.