Man faces federal charges after neighborhood explosion

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LOS ANGELES (AFP) – A 27-year-old man was charged Saturday with illegally transporting tons of explosives he bought in Nevada – including several that left destruction and injuries after detonating them in a Los Angeles neighborhood.

Arturo Sega III faces federal charges, according to the Los Angeles U.S. Attorney’s Office.

On Wednesday, 17 people – including nine Los Angeles police officers and a federal agent – were injured in the blast, which also overturned and damaged cars and smashed windows in homes and a laundry. The explosion was heard several streets away.

Sega made several trips “He made several trips to Nevada in late June to purchase various types of explosives — including aerial displays and large homemade fireworks containing explosive materials — which he transported to his residence in rental trucks,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. In a statement.

He bought most of his explosives from a fireworks dealer in Barhombe, Nevada, according to the criminal complaint against him.

California fireworks can sell for up to four times what buyers pay for Nevada fireworks, according to the complaint.

“Sega told investigators he bought homemade explosives — made of cardboard, a hobby fuse and packed with explosive flash powder — from an individual selling hardware from the trunk of a Honda” in the parking lot of a Nevada fireworks dealer, according to the complaint.

Ceja did not have a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, Explosives or any other type of permit “that would allow him to transport air-powered fireworks or homemade fireworks made of explosive materials, including but not limited to flash powder,” according to For an Affidavit of Complaint written by an ATF Special Agent.

Sega is being held until his first court appearance scheduled for Tuesday in US District Court in Los Angeles.

On Wednesday, about 10 pounds of homemade explosives exploded while inside a spherical containment vessel on a tractor trailer, ripping apart the platform in what was supposed to be a safe operation by the Los Angeles Police Department to handle the explosives that were also. Uneasy to remove from a South Los Angeles neighborhood where tons of illegal fireworks have been discovered.

The one-ton ship cover flew into the backyard two blocks away, breaking a lemon tree and damaging the house.

Experts say the explosion was very unusual, especially for a law enforcement agency with the size and resources of the Los Angeles Police Department. An explosion can be caused by human error – such as not sealing the vessel properly or overloading with material – or a hardware defect such as a small slit that has grown over time and use. or both.

The explosion came after police spent the day removing 3,000 to 5,000 pounds (1,360 to 2,268 kilograms) of commercial fireworks found at Segas’ home after an early morning briefing. Police found some of them in a yard in stacked cartons 8 to 10 feet (2.44 to 3 meters) high.

Fireworks are illegal for sale or possession in Los Angeles and in unincorporated areas of the county.

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