Mason man accused of making, detonating bombs released on own recognizance
A 20-year-old accused of building explosive devices was released from jail on Tuesday and will be allowed to return to his family's home in Mason.
Magistrate Judge Karen Litkovitz allowed James Phillips to be released on his own recognizance after she listened to arguments on both sides.
The FBI arrested Phillips last week while executing a search warrant at his parents' home on Sentinel Oak Drive in Mason. He's charged with possession of an unregistered firearm, including a destructive device.
Investigators said Phillips was making explosive devices in a shed behind his family's home.
In court on Tuesday, federal prosecutor Emily Glatfelter said Phillips demonstrated extreme recklessness. She said evidence shows he has detonated numerous explosives over the last 13-14 months.
Glatfelter said he has detonated devices at the Lebanon Soccer Complex, on private property in Kentucky, and underwater in his Mason neighborhood.
"It's an absolute risk to the public," Glatfelter said. "He repeatedly engaged in conduct that poses significant risk to the public."
She said photos taken from Phillips' iCloud account "shows the power and destruction" of the explosions.
Defense attorney Scott Croswell painted a different picture of his client. Croswell said Phillips is a high-quality individual who has led an exemplary life.
"He's a Xavier High School graduate. He's never been in trouble, not even a hint of trouble in the past. He's worked since he's been in high school, and I think when all of the evidence comes out, it will show essentially what the government said happened, but the atmosphere of how it happened is different," Croswell told 바카라게임 after Tuesday's detention hearing.
Croswell said all of the explosions occurred in remote areas, and Phillips never intended to injure anyone. Croswell also said Phillips had permission from the landowner in Kentucky to discharge the explosives on his farmland. People would come to "watch the show," Croswell said.
"So, while it sounds pretty spectacular, in the final analysis, I think it's just a hobby. Perhaps he should not have engaged in but not for the purpose of injuring any person or any property whatsoever, and the manner in which these items were discharged confirm that there was no intent to damage property or persons," Croswell said.
Croswell noted the packed courtroom. Phillips parents were there, his friends, his priest and a former assistant Hamilton County prosecutor all to support Phillips.
"I think the people who were present, the quality of people who were present, speaks to the type of family that he comes from and speaks to the type of child that he is," Croswell said.
Phillips' release comes with conditions. He must live at his parents' home in Mason. He can't use the shed and cannot purchase or have access to any material that can be used for an explosive device. He had to surrender his passport and cannot leave the Southern District of Ohio.