Kern County Man Indicted for Illegal Possession of a Destructive Device and Firearms

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today against Kenneth William Kirkland, 47, of California City, charging him with being a felon in possession of firearms, a destructive device and explosives, and failing to register a destructive device in the National Firearms Registry, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.

According to court documents, Kirkland possessed a bomb, various explosives, and three firearms at his residence in California City.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California City Police Department, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorney Angela Scott is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Kirkland faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $260,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.