Man who left incendiary devices apparently wanted to get caught

Robert Macy

Friday, March 17, 2000 | 12:25 p.m.

A Las Vegas man who placed incendiary devices at area churches and then stuck Post-it notes around downtown trying to get caught will be evaluated in a federal institution.

Federal prosecutors said James Carbullido was accused of placing the devices at more than nine Mormon churches throughout the Las Vegas Valley. Three of the devices ignited but were extinguished quickly, according to Thomas O'Connell, assistant U.S. attorney.

Some of the incidents occurred while church services were in progress, but no injuries or major damage was reported.

"Thank God he was not proficient at constructing incendiary devices," O'Connell said Friday. "People were inside the churches when the devices were discovered. He was definitely dangerous."

Carbullido was found innocent by reason of insanity Thursday. He will be evaluated in a federal medical facility, O'Connell said.

"He won't be released until it's determined he's no longer dangerous," O'Connell said.

A psychologist and a psychiatrist said Carbullido suffers from paranoid schizophrenia.

The incidents began in July 1998 and continued for a year until Carbullido began placing Post-it notes "with cryptic messages about the fires" on mail boxes and light poles in downtown Las Vegas, O'Connell said. He also placed some in an elevator in the Clark County Courthouse.

O'Connell said the notes referred to church fires and the message "We need to talk about Mormons."

Agents from the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms who had been on the case joined with Las Vegas Metropolitan Police in investigating the notes, which surfaced within a two-day period in June 1999.

A check of fingerprints on the notes led police to Carbullido, who had a 1996 drunken driving arrest.

"When police went to his place of employment, he said he had been waiting for authorities," O'Connell said.

Prosecutors said they could not find a motive why Carbullido targeted Mormon churches.

"We think it could have been family related, but that's speculative," O'Connell said.

Most of the devices were one gallon milk or water containers filled with gasoline and a fuse attached. Some were tossed in the churches, others left in church parking lots.

A court report cited nine instances and said Carbullido confessed to them and other acts against the churches, which were not detailed.