Indiana Man Charged with Illegal Possession of Destructive Devices

COLUMBUS—A criminal complaint charging Andrew Scott Boguslawski, 43, of Moores Hill, Indiana, with possession of unregistered destructive devices has been filed in U.S. District Court in Columbus. The complaint alleges that Boguslawski illegally possessed 13 destructive devices when he was stopped by an Ohio State trooper on January 1, 2014, on Interstate 70 in Madison County, Ohio.

Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Michael Boxler, Special Agent in Charge, Columbus Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); Ohio Fire Marshal Larry Flowers; Ohio State Highway Patrol Superintendent Paul Pride; and Madison County Prosecuting Attorney Stephen J. Pronai announced the complaint, which was filed Friday, February 28.

According to an affidavit supporting the complaint, Boguslawski was stopped for speeding. The complaint alleges that firearms, ammunition, explosives, detonators, and other items related to manufacturing explosives were found in Boguslawski’s vehicle. Further investigation by ATF, the State Fire Marshal, and the Columbus Fire Department Bomb Squad determined that the devices were capable of being detonated.

A destructive device is an explosive device that is capable of causing property damage and personal injury and/or death to persons near the explosion. Federal law requires that destructive devices be registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Possession of unregistered destructive devices is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Troopers arrested Boguslawski at the scene. He was charged in Madison County on state charges. Those charges have been dismissed. Boguslawski will appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Preston Deavers on the criminal complaint today at 2:30 p.m.

U.S. Attorney Stewart and Madison County Prosecuting attorney Pronai commended the cooperative investigation by ATF, the State Fire Marshal, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, and the Columbus Bomb Squad, as well as the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, which participated in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dana Peters and Salvador Dominguez are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

A criminal complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.