West TH man sentenced for bomb-making materials, illegal gun

By Lucy Perry
Indiana Central News

Justin A. Vangilder, 29, of West Terre Haute, was sentenced in United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana for bombmaking activity and illegally possessing a handgun back in Apil of last year.

On Nov. 29,  District Court Judge William T. Lawrence sentenced Vangilder to a total of 52 months imprisonment -- more than four years -- 42 months are for his guilty pleas to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of possession of an unregistered destructive device,  U.S.  Attorney Josh J. Minkler explained today. Ten additional months were for violating previous sentencing terms.

"Vangilder was convicted in 2014 of possession of an unregistered destructive device in federal court in Illinois and was on federal supervised release at the time of his arrest in this case.

In addition to pleading guilty to the charges in this case, Vangilder also pled guilty to violating the terms of his federal supervised release and Judge Lawrence sentenced him to a consecutive 10 month term of imprisonment for that offense," a press release from U.S.  Attorney Josh J. Minkler's office states.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), West Terre Haute Police Department (WTHPD) and other state and local law enforcement agencies responded to information received by WTHPD officers  received  that Vangilder, a convicted felon, was in possession of a firearm April 11, 2017. 

Vangilder’s father allowed WTHPD officers into the residence to recover the firearm, a Citadel 1911, .45-caliber handgun, with two loaded magazines, according to the report.

Upon further investigation, WTHPD officers discovered what appeared to be a bomb-making lab in the suspect's bedroom. WTHPD evacuated the home and notified the bomb squad. They then responded to the scene with the FBI.
 
During that incident, investigators subsequently found numerous components typically used to assemble destructive devices in Vangilder’s bedroom, a press release states.

The following items were located in the search:

•  A soldering iron
•  An assembled bomb-like device
•  Tmers
• Freworks
• Suspicious powders
• PVC pipe
• Three books detailing how to construct explosive devices.
• ​Electronic devices with suspicious content on several video files

Later testimony in court revealed that the videos showed Vangilder testing electric and electronic detonation switches for destructive devices. By using homemade detonation switches with items such as a key fob and an egg timer, he could ignite flash paper and various powders, agents testified in court in November.

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