Men Charged in November HMS Explosion Sentenced to Three Years Probation, Avoiding Jail Time

A federal judge sentenced the two men who pleaded guilty to causing an explosion at Harvard Medical School last year to three years of probation and 300 hours of community service on Thursday.

19-year-old Logan D. Patterson and 21-year-old Dominick F. Cardoza were each charged with one count of conspiring to damage a building by means of an explosive, after the pair illegally entered the Goldenson building at HMS in November and lit a large commercial firework inside a wooden locker.

In addition to probation, the two were also ordered to jointly pay $28,517.70 in restitution to Harvard to cover the damages caused by the explosion. U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley chose not to impose a term of home confinement, citing Patterson and Cardoza’s youth and lack of prior criminal history — against prosecutors’ recommendation.

Kelley said that the “harsh consequences” of the pair’s “foolish conduct” will have an effect on their future, weighing the impact that public attention to the case has had on their lives since the incident. Both Patterson and Cardoza briefly spoke during the hearing, apologizing for their actions and explaining to Kelley how the incident has affected their lives.

“It’s been stressful,” Cardoza said. “Random people would come up to me and be like, ‘why did you do this and this and this.’”

Patterson’s attorney, Kevin J. Reddington, said his client asked him early on in the case “if he could go to Harvard and apologize,” and has accepted full responsibility for his actions. Reddington added that the proceedings have been “pretty harrowing” for Patterson, and asked Kelley to consider his strong work record and future in her decision.

The explosion took place on the fourth floor of the Goldenson building, which houses HMS lab and office space. The incident drew a response from Harvard and Boston police, along with the FBI. The two were arrested three days after the explosion and pleaded guilty to their respective charges in April.

Cardoza and Patterson did not explain the motive behind the explosion. In the hearing, Reddington said there was “no rhyme or reason.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb argued that Patterson and Cardoza should be sentenced to a period of home confinement, arguing that there should be some “restrictions on the defendant’s liberty” as a consequence — citing the response from “hundreds of law enforcement personnel” and short period of panic caused by the incident.

Kelley’s sentencing falls below what prosecutors initially recommended — three years of probation with a six-month period of home confinement — rather opting to impose 100 hours of community service a year for the men. Still, it is harsher than what the men’s attorneys had pushed for.

As part of the men’s probation terms, they were ordered to write a letter of apology to Harvard for the damages they caused, and encouraged to carry out their community service at a University facility if feasible.

At the end of her sentencing, Kelley told both men that she hoped not to see them in court again, and that this incident should not define them.

“One should not be judged by the worst thing that they’ve ever done,” Kelley said.

—Staff writer Shawn A. Boehmer can be reached at [email protected] and on Signal at shawnb.18. Follow him on X @ShawnBoehmer.

—Staff writer Claire A. Michal can be reached at [email protected] and on Signal at ClaireMichal.154.