Two men sentenced in Clearfield bombing
Addleman, Nevling both receive life in prison for woman’s bombing death
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JOHNSTOWN -- Two Clearfield County men convicted in a 2019 bombing that killed 34-year-old Shawna Carlson of Clearfield were sentenced in federal court on Wednesday to life in prison.
U.S. District Judge Stephanie Haines handed down the sentences to Clint Addleman, 49, and Kris Nevling, 49, who were convicted in separate jury trials of charges linked to what prosecutors described as a premeditated killing over a $1,000 drug debt.
Based on trial testimony, Addleman was described as the mastermind behind Nevling's creation of a bomb delivered Oct. 4, 2019, as a package to the porch of Carlson's residence on East Market Street. The package, with writing and drawings indicating that it was for Carlson, subsequently exploded, killing her and igniting a fire that engulfed and destroyed the downtown multi-unit rental building.
Haines, who presided over the jury trials, declined to consider a lesser sentence for Addleman as court-appointed defense attorney Frank Walker II suggested.
"Life focuses only on punishment," Walker said.
Haines later told Addleman that his life-in-prison sentence was "possibly the most warranted sentence I've imposed since taking the bench." She's been a federal judge since 2019 and indicated in court that she's worked 30 years in the criminal justice system.
Walker told Haines that Addleman, who offered no comments in court prior to sentencing, disagreed with his jury's verdicts and that appeals will be initiated.
When imposing Nevling's sentence, Haines told him she was appalled by his crimes and the lies he told when testifying during his August 2025 jury trial.
Nevling, who addressed Haines before she imposed sentence, proclaimed his innocence and denied committing perjury like other trial witnesses.
"I didn't do this," Nevling said in court.
"The jury found otherwise," Haines replied.
Nevling, who remains critical of his trial attorneys, is now represented by court-appointed defense attorney William C. Kaczynski of Pittsburgh, who also indicated that he will be filing an appeal.
On Nevling's behalf, Kaczynski asked Haines to consider a less-than-life sentence in light of Nevling's longtime drug and alcohol addictions and mental health issues contributing to his client's criminal history that's expected to decline as he gets older.
U.S. attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balcon countered that request by pointing out that Nevling, "was 42 years old when he committed the most horrific act of his criminal history." He was 13 when he entered the juvenile justice system, she reported in a pre-sentence statement.
Sheehan-Balcon also referred to six different stories that Nevling provided to investigating officers before stating that he made the bomb for Addleman with four to six pounds of gun powder.
During trial, Clearfield Police Sgt. Daniel Podliski reported finding Nevling a few days after the explosion at a residence two blocks away from Carlson's apartment. At the residence, Podliski said he saw pieces of electronics, along with wiring and tools, that he believed were parts for a bomb.
"This defendant does not deserve the court's mercy," Sheehan-Balcon said.
Victim's mother submitted statements
Carlson's mother, Lorraine McTavish, submitted statements that Sheehan-Balcon read in court.
"My daughter's life was stolen," McTavish wrote as she spoke of how she and her family members continue to miss their loved one. "The grief doesn't come and go. It lives with me every day."
The mother's statements also included the same sentence directed at both Addleman and Nevling: "There is no punishment that can bring my daughter back. You could serve a million lifetimes (in prison) and it will never equal the life you took from us."
When Sheehan-Balcon asked the judge to sentence Addleman to life in prison, the prosecutor repeated trial testimony where witnesses said Addleman "bragged that he was the biggest meth dealer in Clearfield." They also spoke of people, including Carlson, as being afraid of Addleman and of referring to him as "The Boogeyman."
"Kris Nevling and Clint Addleman are brutal murderers," Eric DeGree, special agent in charge of the Philadelphia Field Division, said in a statement the U.S. Attorney's Office released after Haines imposed the sentences. "Together they staged a deadline explosion to try to hide their crimes. Working methodically with our federal, state and local partners and applying ATF's unique forensic tools, we exposed their conspiracy and they now face long sentences in federal prison for their crimes."
In addition to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Clearfield Regional Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police and the Allegheny County sheriff's office were involved in the investigation, according to U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti.
Concurrent sentences
In handing down Addleman's sentence, Haines imposed concurrent sentences for each of his four convictions. She imposed a life sentence for one count of conspiracy to maliciously destroy property by explosive resulting in death and a life sentence for one count of malicious destruction of property by explosive or fire resulting in death. She also imposed 10 years for possession of an unregistered firearm/destructive device and 20 years for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
In handing down Nevling's sentence, Haines imposed concurrent sentences for each of his two convictions. She imposed the life sentence for malicious destruction of property by explosive or fire resulting in death. She imposed 10 years for his conviction of possessing an unregistered firearm/destructive device.
The judge included a paragraph in each sentencing order indicating that Addleman and Nevling are candidates for the 500-hour Residential Drug Abuse Treatment Program offered by the Bureau of Prisons. She also granted requests that the bureau consider housing them in prisons close to Clearfield, as both Addleman and Nevling requested.
Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 814-946-7456.