A South Carolina man charged at the state level with the alleged possession of an improvised explosive device is staring down related federal charges, according to documents obtained by this news outlet.
David Scott Halsey of Easley, S.C. has been charged by federal authorities with unlawful transportation of explosive materials and possession of an unregistered firearm, according to a criminal complaint submitted earlier this week by the office of U.S. attorney Peter M. McCoy Jr.
Here is a copy of the complaint …
A preliminary hearing and attorney status conference related to this case is scheduled to be held at 10:00 a.m. EST before federal magistrate Kevin McDonald in Greenville, S.C.
Earlier this week, we reported that agents with the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) had charged Halsey with one count of possessing, manufacturing or transporting a destructive/ explosive device with intent to cause damage, injury or death.
According to a probable cause affidavit accompanying the warrant for his arrest, on November 2, 2020 Halsey was in possession of “hexamethylene triperoxide diamine (HMTD)” and a “known improvised explosive” – one configured in such a manner as “to cause damage, injury or death.”
Along with triacetone triperoxide (TATP) and silver acetylide, HMTD is one of three commonly used compounds in improvised explosive devices. It was used in September 2016 by domestic terrorist Ahmad Khan Rahimi in a string of bombings in New York and New Jersey that wounded 31 people.
As we noted in covering the state charges against him, Halsey (like anyone accused of committing any crime) is considered innocent until proven guilty by our criminal justice system or until such time as he may enter a plea in connection with the charge filed against him.
It is not yet clear what sort of bomb Halsey allegedly possessed (i.e. its size, design or potential lethality) – nor is it clear how he may have been intending to use the device. We will obviously provide that relevant information to our readers as soon as we are able to verify it.
As of this writing, however, federal officials are declining to offer any comment on the case.
Stay tuned …
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