Federal charges have been filed against James John Hall, a 34-year-old Florida man, who authorities say sold a pipe bomb he had made at his home to an undercover police officer for $800.
A Tampa police detective working with an FBI task force claimed that Hall, of Zephyrhills, Florida, informed a confidential informant he had a homemade pipe bomb at his home that could be purchased for $800.
Hall was arrested this week.
The confidential source claimed that they met Hall when he gave them marijuana last year, and that Hall later showed the source a picture of the explosive, which was made up of three to four plastic jars taped together and painted with camouflage.
An undercover Pasco County Sheriff’s detective met with Hall to buy the pipe bomb and a Glock 17 pistol Hall had offered for sale while in communication with an informant for the sheriff’s office, WTVT-TV reported.
In response to a question on future purchases, Hall said he “had enough to build six more now,” according to a statement from the Middle District of Florida U.S. Attorney’s Office. Hall added that the device the undercover detective was purchasing had a magnet on the bottom since it was “meant for someone else.”
According to the press statement, ATF technicians disassembled the bomb.
“The disassembly and examination of the device revealed a metal pipe that was sealed at both ends (with end caps) and loaded with suspected explosive powder, with a suspected pyrotechnic fuse placed into one of the end caps,” according to the officials.
“The pipe was taped to what might have been a mixture of explosive materials. Hall was in possession of the device illegally, since the ATF discovered no records for him in the National Firearm Registration and Transfer Record.”
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According to the criminal complaint, Hall is charged with one count each of unlawfully constructing a destructive device, possessing an unregistered destructive device and distributing explosive materials without a license.
If found guilty, Hall could spend up to 10 years in federal prison on each count.