I think my defiant 18 year old son has made a homemade pipe bomb. If I turn him in, what type of penalties would he expect? My son is 18 years old and I saw some materials in his room that look like hes putting together an explosive device, perhaps a pipe bomb. I have trouble dealing with him and I do not want to get the police involved. If I did call the police, what type of punishment and penalty would he expect for constructing a homemade pipe bomb?











Answer: (1)
Depending on the state you live in, for simply possessing a homemade explosive device, the penalty could be a misdemeanor to a felony both punishable with up to 1 year in Jail. However, in certain states such as California, the possession of a M80 (which is considered a dangerous explosive) is a felony offense. It would be very wise to talk to your son immediately and let him know you will turn him into the authorities, and what the possible repercussions could be. If you do not stop him in his act now and he ends up using the device in an attempt to hurt or kill someone, you can definitely count on him being charged with a Felony Offense with up to 20 years in prison. A lawyer in your state would be able to advise you in this situation.
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Posted by Bert Gonzalez on 25 Mar 2010