Glen Burnie Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Illegal Possession of Guns and Improvised Explosive Devices

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles sentenced Todd Wheeler, age 28, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, today to 46 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for being a prohibited person, specifically an unlawful user and a person addicted to drugs, in possession of firearms, including improvised explosive devices.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Stephen E. Vogt of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Kevin Davis; Fire Chief Michael E. Cox, Jr. of the Anne Arundel County Fire Department; and Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess.

According to Wheeler’s plea agreement, on January 1, 2014, Wheeler was treated at the hospital for injuries the he told hospital officials he sustained from an explosion when he was attempting to make fireworks. Wheeler attempted to flee the Emergency Room but was apprehended by police who were called to the scene. Police were directed to the home of Wheeler’s grandmother in Millersville, Maryland. She confirmed that Wheeler often stayed there and gave police permission to search the home and an outbuilding located on her property. Officers recovered chemicals used to manufacture high explosives, as well as other explosive materials. Investigators learned that Wheeler received packages at that address and stored the materials in the outbuilding.

The next day, ATF agents interviewed Wheeler, who remained in custody at the hospital. Wheeler advised agents that he was injured when he mixed chemicals and they exploded. He also told the agents that he had previously made explosive devices and detonated them in his yard. A search warrant was executed at Wheeler’s residence in Glen Burnie by Anne Arundel County Police. Over the next two days law enforcement recovered, among other things: several improvised explosive devices, as well as the chemicals and explosive materials used to make them; drugs and drug paraphernalia; a Walther pistol, flare gun and signal flare launcher, along with a conversion kit to allow the launcher to shoot 12 gauge shot gun shells; and 12 gauge shot gun shells.

Further investigation revealed that Wheeler had history of drug addiction dating back to at least 2006. At the time of this incident Wheeler was on probation for driving under the influence of a controlled substance and in a drug test conducted by his state probation officer shortly before the incident Wheeler tested positive for seven different controlled substances.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF, FBI, Anne Arundel County Police Department, Anne Arundel County Fire Department, and the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys A. David Copperthite and Harvey E. Eisenberg, who prosecuted the case.