Pennsylvania flight ‘bomber’ detained without bail deemed a ‘flight risk’ and ‘danger’
A Pennsylvania man who admitted putting explosives in the liner of his suitcase “just wanted to set off fireworks on a beach in Florida,” where he will be caring for his grandfather.
Marc Muffley, 40, fled Lehigh Valley International Airport after being called over the intercom when officials found “commercial fireworks” hidden in his checked luggage.
Muffley was denied bail after appearing via video conference at the hearing of U.S. Magistrate Pamela A. Carlos, who deemed him a “flight risk” and “danger to the community.”
The 40-year-old was said to have fled the scene of the potentially catastrophic incident because he “feared being arrested at the airport over an outstanding child support order.”
Pennsylvania man Marc Muffley, who admitted to putting explosives in the lining of his suitcase “just wanted to set off fireworks on a beach in Florida,” where he will be caring for his grandfather. He has been denied bail – deemed a ‘flight risk’ and ‘danger to the community’
Muffley was about to take an Allegiant flight from eastern Pennsylvania to Sanford, Florida. He has been charged with possessing an explosive device at an airport and possessing, attempting to plant or having placed an explosive device on an aircraft
Court documents revealed that the would-be airliner “bomber” called his girlfriend for a ride from the airport and soon changed his phone number.
“The danger he posed … is simply astounding,” Assistant United States Attorney Sherri A. Stephan said at a court hearing Thursday, when she asked a judge to deny bail.
“The fact that TSA (the Transportation Security Administration) was able to immediately locate this device and prevent it from being placed on an airplane is credit to them.”
A defense attorney suggested Muffley wanted to set off fireworks alone on a Florida beach, where he said the former construction worker sometimes cares for an ailing grandfather.
However, U.S. Magistrate Pamela A. Carlos agreed to hold him without bail, finding that Muffley was both a flight risk and a danger to the community.
Authorities said the fact that the explosive powder was packed in the same checked bag with the other items increased the risk of an explosion.
“The luggage also contained a can of butane, a lighter, a pipe with white powder residue suspected to be methamphetamine, a cordless drill with cordless batteries and two GFCI outlets taped together with black tape,” prosecutors wrote in a statement. detention memorandum filed Thursday. .
“His actions seriously endangered the lives of airport staff and customers, and had the explosive device not been intercepted, the passengers of the flight and the aircraft,” the memo said.
Muffley is charged with possessing an explosive device at an airport and possessing or attempting to place an explosive or incendiary device on an aircraft, according to a criminal indictment.
Defense attorney Jonathan McDonald argued that the items were not “incendiary” and therefore did not meet the requirements of the second indictment. Muffley attended the hearing, which was held via video conference from prison, but did not speak.
“No one has put forth a conceivable theory as to how this thing could have gone off. That wouldn’t happen in a bag,” McDonald said.
However, Carlos found probable grounds to uphold both charges.
Muffley was arrested Monday night at his home, hours after he checked in for the Allegiant Air flight at Lehigh Valley International Airport. The flight was bound for Orlando.
Surveillance footage revealed the tense sting operation to apprehend Muffley who fled to his home in Lansford after the ‘explosive device’ suffocated into the lining of his suitcase.
Surveillance footage revealed the tense moment when a so-called passenger jet ‘bomber’ was arrested after smuggling an explosive device in checked baggage
Video footage from neighbor Megan Rim’s doorbell shows a heavily armed SWAT team storming down Muffley’s street in Lansford
Muffley was arrested Monday at his home on Abbott Street (pictured), just a few doors down from Rim
“The luggage also contained a can of butane gas, a lighter, a pipe with white powder residue suspected to be methamphetamine, a cordless drill with cordless batteries and two RCDs taped together with black tape,” the detention memorandum said.
The 40-year-old was arrested at his home in Lansford, Pennsylvania, after quickly exiting Lehigh Valley International Airport after the device was found.
Video footage provided to shows a heavily armed SWAT team charging down Muffley’s street in Lansford WFMZ by neighbor Megan Rims.
Rims said she lives just a few doors down from Muffley and said the ordeal sounds “terrifying.”
“I was at work and I heard ‘man from Carbon County’ on the news, and I look up and I’m like ‘that’s my neighbor,'” she said.
‘That’s why they were there. Oh my God,’ she added, referring to the officers.
A family member, who remained anonymous, told the outlet she doesn’t think her cousin is capable of concocting such a plot.
“It’s nice that the whole country thinks he’s smart enough to build a bomb. He’s just not that smart,” they said.
Muffley was taken into custody by the FBI after an explosive device was found suffocated in the liner of his checked baggage.
The “bomb” nearly smuggled onto an Allegiant flight was made of commercial firecrackers, round in shape and about four inches in diameter.
Muffley is charged with possessing an explosive device at an airport and possessing and/or attempting to plant an explosive device on an aircraft.
He was caught after his bag set off an alarm before being loaded onto the plane, and the TSA found a “round compound” hidden in the luggage’s liner, the FBI said.
The “powder is believed to be a mixture of flash powder and the dark granulate used in commercial-grade fireworks” that was wrapped in wax paper and plastic, a criminal complaint states.
Two fuses were also attached, one of which appears to have been part of the original manufacture and is used to quickly detonate explosives.
“Connected to the circular connection was a ‘fast fuse’ and a ‘hobby fuse,'” the complaint read.
‘A fast fuse is designed to ignite explosives quickly. It turned out to be part of the compound’s original manufacture.
‘A ‘hobby fuse’ is a well-known regular fuse that burns more slowly than a fast fuse. The ‘hobby fuse’ turned out to have been added afterwards.’
The other fuse was added later and burns more slowly than a fast fuse, officials said, adding that the powders can ignite from heat and friction, posing a “significant risk” to the plane and passengers.
Investigators also found in the trunk a can of butane, a lighter, a pipe with white powder residue, a cordless drill and two GFCIs stuck together, the indictment said.
Muffley’s bag triggered an alarm before being loaded onto the plane, and the TSA found a ‘circular compound’ hidden in the luggage’s lining, the FBI said
Officials say the device was hidden in a checked piece of luggage and contained multiple fuses
The suspicious package was discovered shortly after 11 a.m. on Monday, and the west side of the airport’s main terminal was closed “as a precaution” around 11:15 a.m. WFMZ.
The ‘bomb’ was removed from the airport. After the removal, the main terminal was released again around 2 p.m.
Once found, Muffley was called to the security desk at around 11:40 a.m., but was later seen on security footage at 11:45 a.m. leaving the airport.
The 40-year-old has a long criminal record dating back to 2017, including harassment, disorderly conduct and fighting, according to the Pennsylvania Magisterial District Court.