Published: July 08, 2009 09:46 pm      

ATF dismantles pipe bomb in southern Anderson County

SLOCUM — A bomb technician with the ATF office in Fort Worth dismantled an explosive device Wednesday afternoon discovered during the course of an investigation at a residence in southern Anderson County.

The “pipe bomb” was discovered in a “shop” behind a residence on the corner of Texas 294 and CR 1206 between Slocum and Denson Springs, according to Anderson County Sheriff Greg Taylor.

Late Wednesday morning, sheriff’s deputies were at the location interviewing the resident about multiple burglaries and thefts which recently occurred in the south end of the county, according to the sheriff.

“They were interviewing this subject and the interview led to consent to search his house,” Taylor said.

Authorities first located “a small amount of methamphetamine”; some drug packaging materials; and drug paraphernalia inside the residence, according to the sheriff.

“In a shop behind the house, they located a device that appeared to be a pipe bomb,” Taylor said.

The sheriff described the device as approximately 1 foot long and 1.25 inches in diameter, with “a screw on lid” and a fuse, adding it was partially wrapped in duct tape.

Three agents from the ATF office in Tyler arrived at the scene shortly after noon Wednesday, with one of the agency’s bomb technicians arriving from Fort Worth around mid-afternoon, according to the sheriff.

“He (the bomb tech) dismantled the device,” Taylor said. “They (the feds) took custody of the pipe bomb. It was actually an active, explosive device.”

As of late Wednesday afternoon, Justin Chad Meredith, 37, was being held in the Anderson County Jail on the charge of possession of a controlled substance less than 1 gram. He was expected to be arraigned on the charge Thursday by a local justice of the peace.

“Federal charges are expected (in relation to the alleged pipe bomb) and possible further charges from us as well,” Taylor said.

The sheriff said he does not believe Meredith has much -- if any -- criminal history.

Taylor said he expected to federal authorities to interview Meredith in the coming days.

“It’s a very dangerous device,” Taylor said. “We don’t know at this juncture what his intentions for this pipe bomb were.”

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Paul Stone may be contacted via e-mail at pstone@palestineherald.com