Clearwater Man Charged with Possession and Manufacturing of Illegal Explosive Devices

CLEARWATER, Fla. – CFO and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis, who oversees the Department of Financial Services (DFS), announced today the recent arrest of Jared C. Brady following an investigation led by the Department's Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigations' (BFAI) Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit. Additional support was provided by the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and as a result of the investigation, Brady faces charges of manufacturing and possessing destructive devices after investigators found him in possession of a homemade explosive and evidence of him manufacturing illegal explosive devices in his home.

Following a traffic stop on November 28, 2017, FHP notified CFO Patronis’ BFAI-EOD Unit after observing what was believed to be a homemade explosive in Brady’s vehicle. Brady was questioned and later admitted involvement in the setting of several unreported fires at a local park and to making explosive/incendiary compounds.

After coordinating with FHP, investigators with the BFAI-EOD Unit and the ATF served a search warrant at Brady’s home. As a result of the search, three improvised explosive devices were recovered along with precursor chemicals, manufacturing equipment and records indicating manufacture dating back to 2015. The BFAI-EOD Unit confirmed that Brady had manufactured at least four illegal destructive devices.

Brady was arrested and booked into Pinellas County Jail without incident on November 29, 2017, and has been charged with possession of a destructive device and three counts of manufacturing a destructive device.

This case will be prosecuted by the Pinellas County State Attorney’s Office and if convicted, Brady could face up to 15 years in prison.