A Baltimore County grand jury has indicted Hans Richard Wilhelmsen III on explosives and arson charges after an explosion at his home in Phoenix, with allegations that he had purchased 80 pounds of pre-packaged explosives; debris was scattered across a 100-yard radius.
According to grand jury allegations reported by The Baltimore Sun, Wilhelmsen told a detective he had purchased the Cadillac only a few weeks earlier and had bought 80 pounds of pre-packaged explosives. County police and fire officials responded to Wilhelmsen's home in Phoenix after multiple 911 calls reported an explosion, and authorities found the Cadillac destroyed, per the same account. Wilhelmsen was not arrested, the outlet notes, though a grand jury has since charged him with possession of a destructive device, possession of an explosive device, second-degree arson, and disorderly conduct.
Wilhelmsen told a detective he had purchased the Cadillac only a few weeks earlier and had bought 80 pounds of pre-packaged explosives since then, according to the report. Charging documents cited by the station likewise state that Wilhelmsen purchased 80 pounds of pre-packaged explosives. His defense attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and a court date had not yet been scheduled as of the station's report.
What the Charges Carry Under Maryland Law
The most serious charge, possession of a destructive device under Maryland Criminal Law Code Ann. § 4-503, is a felony that carries up to 25 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 upon conviction, according to the Maryland General Assembly. The second-degree arson charge falls under Criminal Law Code Ann. § 6-103, which addresses burning a structure; the offense is a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $30,000 fine, per the same statute as cited by Justia.
The disorderly conduct count, meanwhile, is an additional charge. Combined, the felony charges alone expose Wilhelmsen to a statutory maximum prison time of 45 years, though any actual sentence would depend on the outcome of the case.
Why Mixing Binary Targets Without a License Is Illegal
The account does not specify how binary exploding-target kits are sold or composed, whether combining their components requires a state license, or whether such mixing violates Public Safety Article § 10-210.
The account does not detail federal rules governing binary-target components or mixed binary explosives.
How Dangerous Is 80 Pounds of Binary Explosive
The account identifies the quantity of pre-packaged explosives purchased by Wilhelmsen as 80 pounds.
The account does not establish specific Baltimore County ambient-noise limits or police enforcement practices for disturbances. The incident occurred in Phoenix.
Possible Restitution for Emergency Response
Beyond potential prison time and fines, Maryland law gives courts additional financial leverage in destructive device cases. Criminal Law Code Ann. § 4-503(c) authorizes courts to order defendants convicted of destructive device violations to pay full restitution to state and local government agencies for costs incurred searching for, removing, or responding to explosive incidents, per the Maryland General Assembly. Whether prosecutors will pursue that restitution in Wilhelmsen's case remains unclear, and his next court date had not been scheduled at the time of the station's report.
