THREE NEW YORK MEN PLEAD GUILTY TO ILLEGALLY MANUFACTURING AND SELLING EXPLOSIVE MATERIALS

Andrew T. Baxter, United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York, and John F. Pikus, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Albany Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that AARON SCORSONE, age 19, of Watervliet, New York; JONATHAN PLUNKETT, age 23, of Troy, New York; and SCOTT MONROE, age 26, of Watervliet, New York have all pled guilty to Count One of an indictment charging them with an unlawful agreement to manufacture and sell explosive materials in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Sections 371, 842(a) and 844. PLUNKETT and SCORSONE also pled guilty to conspiring to unlawfully transfer firearms (destructive devices), in violation of the controlling Federal firearms registration requirements, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371 and 26 U.S.C. §§ 5811, 5812, 5861(e) and 5871. As a result of their guilty pleas, the three face a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine. United States District Court Judge Lawrence E. Kahn will sentence MONROE on June 3, 2009 at 10:30 a.m.; PLUNKETT on July 22, 2009 at 10:30 a.m.; and SCORSONE on August 12, 2009 at 10:30 a.m.

In connection with his plea, MONROE admitted the following in a written plea agreement and during his plea proceedings:

In or about July, 2008, MONROE developed an interest in making home-made explosive devices. Once in possession of the necessary raw materials and instructions on how to build and manufacture home-made explosive devices, MONROE set out to build and manufacture, in his residence in Watervliet, New York, home-made explosive devices. Between about July, 2008 and December 4, 2008, MONROE assembled and manufactured approximately 100 home-made explosive devices using the aforementioned raw materials.

Sometime in July, 2008, MONROE’s neighbor, AARON SCORSONE, visited MONROE at his residence in Watervliet, New York. During this visit SCORSONE saw one of the assembled home-made explosive devices and expressed an interest in purchasing some of MONROE’s home-made explosive devices. In July, 2008, MONROE and SCORSONE agreed that SCORSONE would purchase twenty (20) home-made explosive devices from MONROE. MONROE and SCORSONE agreed that in return, SCORSONE would pay ten dollars ($10.00) cash for each explosive device. Sometime in July, 2008, MONROE sold twenty (20) home-made explosive devices to SCORSONE, and in return, SCORSONE paid MONROE $200.00 in cash.

Between August, 2008 and on or about December 4, 2008, MONROE and SCORSONE agreed that SCORSONE would purchase additional home-made explosive devices from MONROE. During this time period MONROE sold approximately twenty to thirty additional home-made explosive devices to SCORSONE, and in return SCORSONE paid MONROE $10.00 for each device, for a total of approximately $200.00-$300.00 in cash.

In connection with their pleas, PLUNKETT and SCORSONE (1) admitted or acknowledged the aforementioned facts made in connection with MONROE’s plea of guilty; and (2) admitted the following in their written plea agreements or during their plea proceedings:

On one occasion in late September, 2008, and on another separate occasion in mid-November, 2008, PLUNKETT and SCORSONE agreed to sell home-made explosive devices to a confidential human source (hereinafter “source”). These devices contained no fragmentation and were obtained from the 40-50 home-made explosive devices SCORSONE had previously purchased from MONROE. The sale price for the single explosive device was set at $10.00 and the sale price for the three explosive devices was set at $30.00 per device.

On one occasion in early October, 2008, and on another separate occasion in late October, 2008, PLUNKETT and SCORSONE agreed to sell home-made explosive devices with BBs to a source. These eight devices were composed of the same materials and components as the devices described above and were obtained from the 40-50 home-made explosive devices SCORSONE had previously purchased from MONROE. However, in addition, these devices contained hundreds of metal BBs fastened to the exterior of the devices. The sale price for the explosive devices with fragmentation was set at $30.00 per device.

Additionally, in connection with his plea, SCORSONE admitted the following in his written plea agreement and during his plea proceedings:

On one occasion in early December, 2008, SCORSONE agreed to sell approximately 50 home-made explosive devices to a source in exchange for an automatic rifle manufactured by Rock River Arms. The devices that were to be sold contained no fragmentation and were to be partially obtained from the 40-50 home-made explosive devices SCORSONE had previously purchased from MONROE, and the balance would be obtained from MONROE at a later time. On December 4, 2008, SCORSONE telephoned MONROE and left a message on MONROE’s cellular telephone asking for a return call. SCORSONE sought to contact MONROE in an attempt to purchase additional home-made explosive devices which would in turn be used to complete the transaction with the source.

During the evening of December 4, 2008, SCORSONE sold and transferred fifteen home-made explosive devices to a source.

During the course of the ten-week investigation, the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), with the assistance of the New York State Police (NYSP) Bomb Disposal Unit, seized nearly 80 homemade explosive devices. The devices were recovered during undercover transactions with the subjects, or seized during seven searches that were conducted during a twoday period on December 4th and 5th, 2008 in the Troy and Watervliet, New York, areas. At one of the search locations, investigators uncovered sufficient pre-cursor chemicals and materials to produce a significant number of additional homemade explosive devices. Investigators also seized eighteen weapons from the various search locations, including a .50 caliber rifle, along with other rifles, pistol grip shotguns, and tear gas guns.

The following agencies provided significant assistance to the FBI JTTF during the course of the investigation: The NYPD Intelligence Division - Operation Sentry, the United States Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives the United States Postal Inspection Service, the New York State Police, the Troy Police Department, the Watervliet Police Department, the North Greenbush Police Department, the Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office, and the Colonie Police Department.

U.S. Attorney Baxter had high praise for the unwavering support provided to the Joint Terrorism Task Force by the local law enforcement agencies, despite budgetary constraints. He stated: “[w]e greatly appreciate that our law enforcement partners at every level are willing to support the counter-terrorism mission, understanding that national security and public safety at the local level are inextricably linked. The collaborative efforts of the agencies participating in this investigation provide a textbook example of what can be accomplished when local, state and federal law enforcement agencies work together. It is precisely what the public expects and deserves from law enforcement.”

This prosecution was handled in the United States Attorney's Office by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss.