GALVESTON COUNTY RESIDENT CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH 2006 TEXAS CITY APARTMENT EXPLOSION

( HOUSTON, Texas ) – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Curtis Lee Jetton, 22, LaMarque, with violations of federal law regulating destructive devices and explosive materials, United States Attorney Don DeGabrielle announced today.

The indictment charges Jetton with one count of conspiring to make and possess unregistered destructive devices, one count of possessing an unregistered destructive device and one count of unlawful storage of the explosive material Triacetone Triperoxide (TATP).  Jetton made his initial appearance in Galveston federal court today before United States Magistrate Judge John Froeschner and has been scheduled for arraignment Tuesday, Oct. 16 at 11:00 a.m. 

The indictment alleges Jetton conspired with his roommate to make multiple bombs with TATP.  According the indictment, Jetton and his roommate obtained instructions for making TATP from the internet and purchased ingredients at home improvement and beauty supply stores.  Jetton and his roommate manufactured TATP in their kitchen and Jetton would scrape metal shavings from pipes he obtained from his place of employment into the mixture.  Jetton and his roommate, who the indictment alleges were members of an anarchist group, then placed the TATP into pipes, beer bottles and sandwich bags and detonated these devices in fields and under vehicles.  The indictment further alleges that on July 19, 2006, Jetton and his roommate assisted each other in manufacturing various ingredients for a bomb, which resulted in an explosion at the Lakeview Apartments in Texas City that killed Jetton’s roommate.

If convicted, Jetton faces a maximum punishment of five years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy count, a maximum of 10 years imprisonment and a $10,000 fine for unlawful possession of an unregistered destructive device and one year imprisonment and a $100,000 fine for the unlawful storage of explosive material count.

The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gregg Costa.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.  The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until convicted through due process of law.

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