A Sacramento man was charged by indictment with making interstate threats, threats involving explosives and possession of ammunition as a prohibited person, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced Tuesday.
According to court documents, Lo Saetern, 35, posted numerous threats to YouTube between Sept. 15 and Sept. 21, 2026, about wanting to build a bomb and kill children at a nearby church. He also made statements about wanting to carry out a mass shooting targeting Muslims and to rape, kill and mutilate his neighbor’s daughter.
A search of Saetern’s residence turned up ammunition and bags of sulfur powder and charcoal powder, which can be combined with potassium nitrate to make black powder, an explosive. Law enforcement also found firearms and additional ammunition elsewhere in the home.
In December 2019, Saetern told several people that he was driving around with a bomb and wanted to blow himself up. He also claimed to have built a potassium nitrate bomb but later dismantled it.
According to court documents, investigators found bags of sulfur powder, charcoal powder and potassium nitrate in Saetern’s bedroom, along with several items containing black powder residue. Those items included a mortar and pestle, an electronic scale and a container built for a rock polishing tumbler.
Saetern is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because a lifetime mental health firearm prohibition was issued against him in December 2019, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Sacramento Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Wong is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Saetern faces a maximum prison sentence of five years for interstate threats, 20 years for threats involving explosives and 15 years for possession of ammunition as a prohibited person. The charges also carry a maximum fine of $250,000.
Any sentence would be determined at the court’s discretion after consideration of applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The charges are allegations, and Saetern is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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