A Burleson man who was being monitored by the FBI after allegedly posting about white supremacy and his fascination with high-profile mass shootings is facing prison time after investigators found materials for making a homemade bomb inside his home last month, prosecutors say.
Noah Calderon, 22, made his first court appearance this week for a federal charge of possession of a destructive device, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas said in a news release Tuesday detailing the investigation.
Prosecutors said the FBI was first alerted to Calderon in October after he allegedly posted about white supremacist ideology and a fascination with high-profile mass shootings, "particularly the 1999 massacre at Columbine High School," the statement read.
Calderon's social media included pictures of himself in tactical-style vests with AR-15-style rifles and handguns along with Columbine-themed memes, prosecutors said.
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"This defendant exhibited several indicators of potential violence: a fascination with mass shooters, an obsession with weapons, and hatred towards a protected class. What's worse, he had allegedly progressed from ideation to planning and preparation," U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton said in the news release.
Months later in March, the FBI received a tip that Calderon had detonated a homemade bomb in a residential neighborhood. The explosion prompted several 911 calls about a loud concussive sound and smoke.
"Shortly thereafter, agents reviewed Mr. Calderon's Google account and found searches for the Columbine killers, the Charleston church shooter, 'pipe bomb how to make,' 'how to make propane bombs,' and 'wear [sic] were the propane bombs in Columbine,' as well as searches of the names of several local public schools. They also searched e-commerce activity, which showed that Mr. Calderon allegedly bought two pounds of potassium perchlorate, one pound of aluminum powder, and a striped fuse online," the release said.
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Calderon was taken into custody in April after Burleson Police and the FBI raided his home and found "items that could be used to make and detonate a bomb." Among the evidence taken from the home was a glass jar marked "frag," which contained metal BBs and lead, and 659.2 grams of explosive powder, the release said.
Investigators also found what they described as a handwritten "manifesto" which "glorified the Columbine shooters and espoused white supremacy," the release said.
"In apprehending Mr. Calderon, we may have averted mass tragedy. We are especially grateful to the tipster who alerted law enforcement to Mr. Calderon's concerning social media posts," Simonton stated.
Calderon was charged on April 18 and indicted on May 10 on one count of possession of a destructive device. He made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey L. Cureton on Monday.
He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
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