Miami County man pleads guilty to possessing unregistered destructive devices

DAYTON, Ohio – A Troy, Ohio, man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to illegally possessing unregistered destructive devices.

Steven J. Werling, 54, admitted that, in April, he knowingly possessed two improvised explosive devices.

According to court documents, on April 4 and 5, law enforcement officials executed a court-authorized search warrant at Werling’s residence on Barnhart Road in Troy. Prior investigation revealed that Werling had researched and made purchases related to the construction of improvised explosive devices.

Specifically, Werling possessed two plastic cylinders that had an explosive mixture of contents within. The cylinders and their contents are firearms under the National Firearms Act, specifically, destructive devices.

The plea includes a sentence recommendation of up to 24 months in prison.

Congress sets minimum and maximum statutory sentences, and sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court at a future hearing based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the guilty plea entered yesterday afternoon before U.S. District Judge Michael J. Newman. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas A. Dingeldein is representing the United States in this case.

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