A Waterville man is facing a charge of possessing an unregistered destructive device after investigators found that he was allegedly planning to travel to Chicago to commit mass murder at a mosque.
Xavier Pelkey, 18, was arrested on Feb. 11 by agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, according to NewsCenter Maine.
Court documents filed in U.S. District Court in Bangor showed three explosive devices made with fireworks that were found at Pelkey’s home.
Pelkey told FBI agents he had taped fireworks together to get a “bigger boom,” according to court documents.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Wolff said that FBI agents received now-sealed statements from two adolescents claiming that Pelkey told them he was planning to travel to a mosque in Chicago and “commit mass murder,” NewsCenter Maine reported.
Pelkey will be detained until his case goes to trial.
If convicted, Pelkey faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.