MASON, Ohio — James Phillips, 20, appeared in federal court Friday, just one day after FBI agents arrested him and charged him with possession of a destructive device.
According to an FBI affidavit, a police officer found an improvised explosive device (IED) last September in a far parking lot of a large soccer complex in Lebanon. Court documents say the IED "had wires running from a pile of white powder to a control switch."
The Butler County Bomb Squad tested residue and the powder before testing the IED's detonator; the IED detonator exploded while it was being tested, the court documents say.
The Joint Terrorism Task Force identified Phillips as the "primary suspect" who allegedly left the device at the sports complex; the FBI said the task force also connected Phillips to other incidents "where he is alleged to have possessed and detonated potential explosives."
"Now the intent, his motivation here, I don't know what it was, I don't think anybody does just yet," Anthony May, a former ATF criminal investigator who also worked as an Army explosive enforcement officer in Afghanistan, told WCPO. "But this individual has gone clear over the line. He's not experimenting, he's not playing around. He is manufacturing explosive product."
Learn more about Phillips' case here:
Investigators also say Phillips bought chemicals and materials made for homemade explosives and shipped those to two locations — one in Mason and one in Oxford. Federal agents executed search warrants at those locations.
May said that while Phillips legally purchased these items, the type of materials used shows a dramatic progression.
"An item that could be considered a destructive device, being the copper pipe, if it contained explosive,s could've been very deadly," May said. "Depending on the quantity of the material, depending on whether it is encased in a container, if you will, would all add to an explosive effect. It could have caused anything from minor damage, minor injuries, up to death of an individual."
In a statement to WCPO, Phillips' attorney, Scott Croswell, said, "We believe that this case is dramatically different. An initial look at these facts presents an image which is not accurate, and the truth will play out, ultimately in court."
The Mason man will officially learn whether or not he will stay locked up next Tuesday after the judge in his case rescheduled his detention hearing.
