by Peter Young
News is emerging, but the FBI has arrested a man in connection with the A.L.F. arson at Sheepskin Factory in Denver, Colorado. Walter Bond, 34, was arrested by federal agents Thursday.
The FBI alleges Bond admitted to an informant to setting two additional fires – one at Tandy Leather Factory, the other at Tiburon (foie gras restaurant), both in Utah. In anonymous communiques, “A.L.F. Lone Wolf” took credit.
The criminal complaint outlines the case against Walter Bond, and alleges the following:
*On July 1st, investigators received a call from a confidential informant wishing to provide information on the Sheepskin Factory and Tandy Leather Factory arsons. The informant stated Bond had told him/her in a telephone call from the Salt Lake City library to refer to Voice of the Voiceless and scroll down to an article on the Sheepskin Factory arson to learn what he’d “been up to”.
*On July 22nd, the confidential informant arranged a monitored conversation with Walter Bond in a Ramada Inn in Denver, Colorado. Investigators allege Bond was heard admitting to three arsons: Sheepskin Factory, Leather Factory, and Tiburon. Bond was arrested subsequent to the conversation.
The arrest follows three months of A.L.F. activity in which three businesses (in UT and CO) were targeted by arson. “A.L.F. Lone Wolf” took credit for all three arsons in two communiques. Coverage of the arsons can be read at:
Sheepskin Factory arson story
Tandy Leather Factory arson story
Tiburon restaurant arson story
To date, Bond is charged only with the Sheepskin Factory arson. The crime carries a mandatory minimum of 5 years in federal prison. Additional charges for the two Utah arsons are possible.
The suspect also served prison time in 1997 for an arson at a meth lab in Iowa. Bond received notoriety when the vegan straight edge band Earth Crisis wrote a song about Bond and the arson titled ” To Ashes ” for their 2009 album “To The Death”.
The criminal complaint makes note of the term “Go Vegan” used in one of the Long Wolf communiques, and Bond’s “Vegan” neck tattoo (see below).
The timeline of events leading to Walter Bond’s arrest, as outlined in the criminal complaint , are as follows:
April 30th, 2010
Fire destroys Sheepskin Factory store in Denver, Colorado. The uninsured building is destroyed, causing $500,000 damages.
Investigators review security camera footage showing an individual wearing a hooded sweatshirt and backpack near the building around the time of the fire.
June 5th, 2010
The Tandy Leather Factory in Salt Lake City, Utah is broken into and a fire is set causing extensive damage.
July 1st, 2010
The FBI receives a call from a confidential informant, stating Walter Bond had admitted to him/her he was responsible for two fires: the Sheepskin Factory arson, and a second fire at Tandy Leather Factory in Salt Lake City, Utah. The informant stated he/she believed Bond contacted him/her from a payphone at the Salt Lake City Library. When asked what he had been up to lately, Bond reportedly told the informant to visit www.voiceofthevoiceless.org , and that that’s what he’d “been up to”.
July 3rd, 2010
Tiburon, a restaurant serving foie gras in Sandy, Utah, is set on fire. Damages estimated at $10,000.
July 22nd, 2010
The informant arranges a meeting with Walter Bond at a Ramada Inn in Denver, Colorado. The meeting is recorded and monitored by the ATF. Agents state they hear Bond admit to setting the fires at Sheepskin Factory, Leather Factory, and Tiburon. Bond reportedly stated it angered him the business made a profit from animals. Agents also report he stated he intended to burn Sheepskin Factory down again “in a couple of years”.
Subsequent to the monitored conversation, agents arrest Walter Bond. On his person they allegedly find a copy of ” Declaration of War – Killing People to Save Animals and the Environment “.
Bond remains held in a Denver jail. More news on the arrest will be made available as it emerges.