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Fond du Lac man sentenced to 18 years in prison for 2016 firebombing

Posted at 5:54 PM, May 24, 2024

FOND DU LAC (NBC 26) — A Fond du Lac County judge sentenced Elliot Schneider to serve 18 years in prison and 12 years of extended supervision for a fireboming incident in 2016 that injured one person.

  • Prosecutors say Elliot Schneider made a bomb and paid another man to plant it at someone's home
  • Schneider was sentenced to 18 years in prison and 12 years of extended supervision in connection with the firebombing
  • Schneider is already serving 12 years in prison and 12 years probation for a child sexual assault conviction in 2023

Prosecutors accused Schneider of making a bomb and paying co-defendant Jonas Johnson to plant it at the home of a man that Schneider believed stole money from him in a drug deal.
Prosecutors said the bomb exploded in a mailbox at a home on Doty Street in Fond du Lac.

According to police, four people were home and one was injured.

"It was a violent, violent explosion with debris flow throughout the living room dining area to cause a fire in one of the rooms," Assistant District Attorney Catherine Block said in court.

Schneider has denied his role in the bombing.

"I wasn't really involved in the situation on Doty Street to any degree," Schneider said in court.

His defense attorney said the incident happened when Schnieder was just 18.

"He was a much younger person, much different person," defense attorney Tsz-King Tse said.

Earlier this month he was convicted of felonies in connection to the bombing, including damage of property by use of explosives and first degree recklessly endangering safety.

He was also convicted of bail jumping.

The judge sentenced him to 18 years in prison and 12 years of probation for the firebombing, and five years in prison and five years of probation for bail jumping.

He's also set to serve 12 years in prison and 12 years of probation for a child sexual assault conviction in 2023.

"This case is, in this court's opinion, a dangerous individual," Fond du Lac County Circuit Court Judge Anthony Nehls said.

The firebombing and bail jumping sentences will be served at the same time, but both will be served after the sexual assault sentence. After that, Schneider will serve 12 years of probation for the firebombing charges and 12 years probation for sexual assault.