A Virginia man apprehended with homemade explosives in his car on New Year’s Day, report police
The suspect faces multiple charges, including felony possession of explosive items. He is currently being held without bail.
Authorities reported that a Virginia man was arrested on New Year’s Day after homemade explosive-like items were discovered in his vehicle.
On Wednesday, officers detained 19-year-old Alexander Sweetman from Arlington, Virginia, following reports of a person driving suspiciously while wearing a ski mask, as detailed in a press release on the Warren County Virginia Sheriff’s Office’s Facebook page. He was caught after running from the police on foot when deputies attempted to approach him at a nearby 7-Eleven.
Warren County, Virginia, is situated approximately 80 miles west of Washington, D.C.
Initially, the police received alerts about a dark Honda parked suspiciously off the roadway. However, when they arrived, the vehicle was not present. Later, a car matching that description was sighted at a 7-Eleven, close to the spot where the suspect was ultimately arrested.
Investigators found that Sweetman did not own the vehicle, lacked a driver’s license, and showed indications of possible mental health concerns.
Inside Sweetman’s vehicle, law enforcement discovered “burglary tools,” and after acquiring a search warrant, they retrieved several objects resembling homemade explosives.
The Warren County Fire Marshal’s Office, Loudoun County Bomb Squad, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division were notified for support. Bomb Squad experts removed the devices and performed a controlled detonation.
While law enforcement searched for any items that may have been discarded in the area where Sweetman and his vehicle were initially reported, explosive detection dogs were deployed for an additional examination after the explosives were identified.
What charges did Sweetman face?
After being taken to a hospital for evaluation, Sweetman was cleared and subsequently booked at the Rappahannock-Shenandoah-Warren Regional Jail. He faced several charges, including:
- Obstructing justice
- Possession of burglary tools
- Wearing a mask to conceal identity
- Driving without a license
- Manufacturing and having explosive materials or devices
According to authorities, Sweetman is being detained at the jail without bail.
What occurred?
Around 9:30 p.m. local time, the Warren County Emergency Communications Center received notifications about a dark Honda with no visible license plate parked suspiciously off the roadway. Witnesses reported that the driver was wearing a ski mask.
Upon arrival, deputies could not locate the Honda.
Later, the police were informed that a vehicle matching the earlier description was spotted at a 7-Eleven. When officers approached the driver, who still had the ski mask on, he ran away but was caught shortly after.
Major explosive device seizure in Virginia
Sweetman’s arrest followed shortly after the FBI executed what has been labeled the largest organized collection of explosive devices in the agency’s history in Virginia, according to prosecutors in court documents.
Brad Spafford, 36, from Isle of Wight, Virginia, was arrested on Dec. 17 after federal agents discovered over 150 suspected explosive devices during a search of his farm located east of Newport News, Virginia, as per court records.
The suspect was apprehended and charged with unlawfully possessing an unregistered short-barrel rifle, which could result in a sentence of up to 10 years. In addition, Spafford is facing further charges for possessing unregistered destructive devices, according to a motion filed by assistant U.S. attorney Rebecca Gantt on Dec. 30 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
