The Rev. Owens Begins Prison Sentence for Bombing Attempt

The Rev. Dorman Owens began serving a 21-month sentence Tuesday for attempting to bomb a San Diego abortion clinic.

Owens’ family drove him to the federal prison at Terminal Island, near San Pedro, where prison officials will conduct a medical evaluation before deciding on his final place of detention.

Owens, 54, is the former pastor of the fundamentalist Bible Missionary Fellowship Church in Santee. He and several of his followers were implicated in an unsuccessful attempt to bomb the Alvarado Medical Center on July 27, 1987. A church member placed an explosive charge near the building, but it failed to detonate.

Owens pleaded guilty to lying about the bomb plot and to tampering with a witness. Federal prosecutors said Owens tried to persuade Eric Svelmoe, who planted the bomb, to lie to investigators.

Thomas Warwick, Owens’ attorney, said the minister will probably serve only about 12 months in custody after receiving credit for four months already served and time off for good behavior.

Svelmoe and another defendant, Jo Anne Kreipal, 37, will be sentenced July 25 for their involvement in the bomb plot. All told, Owens and seven of his followers were charged in the case.