(Des Moines, Iowa) – A Johnston man was sentenced late last week to five years in federal prison for building and detonating several explosive devices in Ankeny. Prosecutors with the U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa said 47-year-old Chad Allen Williams admitted to making and exploding two homemade bombs in May and June of 2021. A third unexploded bomb was found in an Ankeny neighborhood. Williams pled guilty to the charges on January 20, 2022. He was ordered to undergo three years of supervised release after he serves his prison term.

With the assistance of neighbors and other community members, law enforcement worked together to trace the devices to Williams, and executed a search warrant at his Johnston residence on June 18, 2021. As a result of the search warrant, Agents located controlled substances and items consistent with the manufacture of explosive devices, including the specific explosive devices located in Ankeny. Agents also seized a loaded Ruger, Model P89, nine-millimeter pistol in Williams’ vehicle. Subsequent to execution of the search warrant, Williams admitted to manufacturing and placing the explosive devices on the Ankeny street. Williams also admitted to being a user of methamphetamine, which disqualified him from the right to possess a firearm.

The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Ankeny Police Department, the Iowa Department of Public Safety Intelligence Division, the Iowa State Fire Marshall, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Iowa.