Texas State News by Ken Fulton, Midwest Crime and Justice Bureau Chief
Texas resident Erfan Salmanzadeh faces federal charges after an explosion at his Amarillo home rocked a quiet street and forced his neighbors to evacuate.
Officers responding to the scene found explosive components inside the 32-year-old Salmanzadeh’s home. Law enforcement also found components in his backyard and in the alley behind his home. Salmanzadeh was charged via a criminal complaint on one count of possession of a destructive device. The state of Texas meanwhile has charged Salmanzadeh with possession of components of explosives. Acting U.S. Attorney Prerak Shah stated that the suspect “had absolutely no business handling unregistered destructive devices.” At this time, authorities have not released any further information on the incident. Salmanzadeh remains in custody, facing possibly ten years in prison.
Salmanzadeh is a 32-year-old naturalized citizen of the U.S. born in Iran.
“The FBI is committed to protecting our communities from harm and working with our law enforcement partners to disrupt violent activity. This defendant allegedly possessed a device with the potential to cause significant damage or injury to innocent people,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Matthew DeSarno. “We want to thank the Amarillo Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, and Homeland Security Investigations for their tireless assistance in this investigation.”
If convicted of the federal offense, he faces up to 10 years in prison.
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