NEW YORK CITY — A Washington state man was arrested at a New York airport Monday night on federal charges alleging he provided material support to the suicide bomber who destroyed a fertility clinic in Palm Springs last month, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Daniel Jongyon Park, 32, of Kent, is accused of shipping and paying for over 270 pounds of ammonium nitrate, a common explosive precursor, to Guy Edward Bartkus, the man behind the deadly May 17 attack. Park was taken into custody after arriving at John F. Kennedy International Airport on a flight from Poland, where he had been detained since late May.
Park made his initial court appearance Tuesday in the Eastern District of New York. He is charged with providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists.
“This defendant is charged with facilitating the horrific attack on a fertility center in California,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi in a statement. “We are grateful to our partners in Poland who helped get this man back to America.”
FBI: Explosive shipments linked to extremist ideology
According to court documents, Park supported Bartkus’s extremist anti-natalist ideology, which holds that birth without consent is unethical and that non-existence is preferable. Bartkus, 25, carried out the suicide bombing on May 17 by driving a vehicle filled with explosives into a Palm Springs fertility clinic, killing himself, injuring multiple people, and causing extensive property damage.
An FBI affidavit states that Park began sending explosive precursors in early 2025, including a shipment of 180 pounds of ammonium nitrate before a personal visit to Bartkus’s residence in Twentynine Palms, California. During his stay from Jan. 25 to Feb. 8, Park and Bartkus reportedly spent time in a detached garage conducting “experiments” with the chemicals.
“Park allegedly sent large amounts of explosive precursors to the man who drove a car bomb to a fertility clinic,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The FBI and our partners work together to hold accountable those who engage in domestic terrorism.”
Three days before Park’s arrival, Bartkus used an AI chat application to research bomb-making techniques using ammonium nitrate and fuel, according to investigators. Law enforcement later found chemical materials at the garage following the bombing.
Return to U.S. follows international detention
On May 21, four days after the bombing, Park flew to Europe. Polish authorities detained him on May 30 and, following deportation proceedings, returned him to the United States for prosecution.
“Domestic terrorism is evil and unacceptable. Those who aid terrorists can expect to feel the cold wrath of justice,” said U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California.
If convicted, Park faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. The final sentence will be determined by a federal judge after considering applicable guidelines and statutory factors.
