Botsford Man Sentenced In Explosives Case
DANBURY — A Newtown man has been sentenced in Connecticut Superior Court after pleading guilty to three explosives-related charges in connection with an incident that occurred at the Newtown Village mobile home park at 301 South Main Street (Route 25) in Botsford on the night of March 24, 2017.
In court on December 6, Judge Robin Pavia sentenced Larry Bailey, 70, of Newtown Village, to an effective sentence of five years’ probation on convictions for possession of explosives, bomb manufacturing, and first-degree reckless endangerment.
Newtown police spokesman Lieutenant Aaron Bahamonde said that among the conditions of Bailey’s probation are very strict court-imposed limitations on his ability to travel.
In the sentencing, Judge Pavia gave Bailey a ten-year prison term for possession of explosives, a ten-year term for bomb manufacturing, and a one-year term for first-degree reckless endangerment, all of which are to run concurrently and all of which have had their execution suspended. If for some reason, Bailey does not abide by the conditions of his five years of probation, the prison sentence could be imposed.
“The sentencing brings closure to this case... We worked with the courts to make sure that justice was served,” Lt Bahamonde said.
Bailey initially was charged with seven offenses — two counts of possession of explosives, two counts of bomb manufacturing, two counts of first-degree reckless endangerment, and one count of making a false statement.
Bailey eventually pleaded guilty to the three charges on which he was convicted. The other four charges were not prosecuted by the court.
Court records indicate that the case was on the docket 26 times since Bailey was arrested on a warrant in June 2017. Attorney Kevin Black, who represented Bailey, could not be reached for comment.
In March 2017, police started their investigation into the discovery of two pipe bombs, which were found near each other at Newtown Village.
In court in June 2017, Bailey pleaded not guilty to the seven criminal charges then pending against him. Bailey’s arrest stemmed from a criminal investigation that began on the night of March 24, after Bailey had called town police to report vandalism to his motor vehicle. During their initial investigation, police identified two objects that appeared to be pipe bombs. Police then evacuated the immediate area and contacted the state police bomb squad for assistance. There were no injuries in that incident.
After investigation by the bomb squad, state police determined that there was a possible public safety hazard and transported the two pipe bombs to an open area for the devices’ safe disposal. FBI agents assisted with the bombs’ disposal.
The police probe determined that the two devices “were very likely improvised explosive devices or pipe bombs.”
Tests indicated that materials within the two devices “were ‘energetic’ in nature,” police said, explaining that the substances were highly flammable, and when kept contained, were likely to be explosive. The FBI laboratory chemically analyzed the substances found, police said.