A Florida man is facing decades in prison for allegedly selling a pipe bomb he built at his house to an undercover detective, local station WTVT-TV reported
Citing court documents, the station reported that James John Hall, a 34-year-old from Zephyrhills, Florida, was arrested this week after a Tampa police detective working with an FBI task force said that Hall told a confidential informant he was in possession of a homemade pipe bomb at his house that could be purchased for $800.
The informant said Hall showed him a photo of the bomb that consisted of three to four plastic jars taped together and painted with camouflage.
The confidential source reached out to the sheriff’s office prompting a further coordinated investigation with the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), where an undercover Pasco Sheriff’s detective met with Hall to purchase the pipe bomb along with a Glock 17 pistol Hall had offered for sale.
“When asked about future purchases, Hall indicated he ‘had enough to build six more now,’” WTVT-TV reported, citing a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
“Hall also indicated that the device he was selling to the undercover detective had a magnet on the bottom because it was “meant for somebody else,” the DA office said before adding that the bomb was disassembled by ATF technicians.
Hall faces charges of distribution of explosive materials, possession of a firearm not registered, and the unlawful making of a firearm. Each charge carries up to 10 years in federal prison.
