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Updated: 5:59 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8, 2012 | Posted: 2:17 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8, 2012

Man accused of selling explosives appears in court

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Man accused of selling explosives appears in court  photo
Jeffrey Fellman
Man accused of selling explosives appears in court  photo
The Butler County Sheriff’s Office and Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents found multiple IEDs and bomb-making components in the home of Jeffrey Fellman, 45, of Hanover Twp.

By Ed Richter

HAMILTON —

A Hanover Twp. man arrested after arranging to turn over grenades to undercover police officers had his case bound over to a Butler County grand jury for consideration.

Jeffrey Fellman, 45, appeared Thursday afternoon for a preliminary hearing in Hamilton Municipal Court to determine if there was enough probable cause to forward the case to the grand jury for consideration. Fellman, who has been held in the Butler County Jail since last week under a $50,000 bond, was shackled and wearing a jail uniform during the hearing.

Hamilton police Detective Robert Horton told the court that Fellman contacted him Oct. 30 and offered to exchange two hand grenades in exchange for having a woman released from her probation. Horton said the exchange was to be at the old Golden Corral restaurant, 1532 Main St.

After Fellman gave Horton the grenades, other officers arrested him and charged him with two counts of possession of dangerous ordnance, both are fifth-degree felonies.

Police also said Fellman never made any threats or claimed to have made the explosive devices.

Also called to testify at the preliminary hearing was Specialist Mike Grimes of the Butler County Sheriff’s Office bomb squad. Grimes gave an overview of the two grenades that Fellman gave Horton and said they had been dismantled and rendered safe by him.

A search warrant was later obtained for Fellman’s residence at 2463 Hamilton Richmond Road. Multiple IED-type devices were found in the home by police, Butler County Sheriff’s deputies and federal Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents. The devices included modified grenades, a box of PVC pipe bombs and other bomb-making components.

Grimes also said he was aware of an affidavit signed by Fellman’s mother that said the explosive devices were made by his father.

Police declined to speculate why Fellman had the explosives and other bomb-making components, saying the matter remained under investigation.

During the search of the residence, law enforcement officers found:

  • a black iron pipe with end caps
  • a box containing a PVC pipe
  • a satchel containing five grenades
  • a PVC pipe bomb
  • two smoke grenades
  • a coil cannon fuse
  • 11 arrows with attached pyrotechnic devices
  • a booby trap device
  • a canister with smokeless powder and two packages of mole bombs
  • a coffee can with assorted devices and a soup can with assorted nails, nuts and bolts.

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