A Texas man is heading to Hoosegow after a homemade bomb of his went kaboom in an Austin hospital parking garage. Raymond Luke Garner, 39, from Jonestown, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for possession of an unregistered destructive device following the August 9 explosion at St. David’s Hospital, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Texas.
Garner, who planted the device in his pickup before it detonated, causing no injuries but surely some shaken nerves, also pleaded guilty to owning a slew of bomb-making materials found in various searches, including circuit boards, timers, and high-explosive ingredients. While under police watch, he reached out to an associate in a misguided attempt to clear out incriminating evidence from his home.
"The law prohibits the possession of unregistered homemade pipe bombs for a good reason: they put the community at serious risk," said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza in a statement obtained by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Texas. He lauded the effort of local and federal law enforcement agencies in snagging Garner and pledged to keep up the pressure on folks skirting explosives laws.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) voiced a similar tune, highlighting the inherent risks of improvised explosive devices. Special Agent in Charge Mike Weddel warned against their legality and potential for catastrophe, pinpointing Garner's incident as a prime example of what can happen when hazardous concoctions are handled irresponsibly.
This case fell under the scrutiny of the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force, ably assisted by the muscle of local law enforcement from the Austin Police Department, the Austin Fire Department, the Travis County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cedar Park Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Karthik Srinivasan handled prosecution chores, ensuring Garner paid a price for his perilous pastime.
