2 men behind explosion inside a Harvard Medical School building avoid jail time

Two men from Massachusetts evaded prison sentences on Thursday after pleading guilty to setting off fireworks inside an empty Harvard Medical School building, causing a significant law enforcement response and campus anxiety. Logan David Patterson, 19, and Dominick Frank Cardoza, 21, were in the Boston area for college Halloween parties when they broke into the Goldenson Building, detonating a firework before dawn and then fleeing.

No one was injured in the incident. U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley denied a government request for six months of home confinement for the pair, stating that the severity of their actions warranted harsher consequences. Both defendants were required to pay a fine of $28,517 and complete 300 hours of community service as part of their three-year probation.

Additionally, they must write an apology letter to Harvard. Patterson expressed regret for his actions during his sentencing, acknowledging that his intentions were harmless at the time but the consequences were much larger. Cardoza's lawyer, Stefan Rozembersky, described the sentence as fair given the circumstances, emphasizing that the defendants were only teenagers with firecrackers, not intended to cause harm or terror.

Despite avoiding jail time, both men face the long-term consequences of having a felony record, which could hinder future opportunities. Surveillance footage showed the defendants wearing face coverings and climbing onto the roof of the building, which they chose because it appeared abandoned. The explosion occurred shortly after they placed a cherry bomb inside a locker inside the building.

The pair could have faced up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.