Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

SOUTH BEND – Eric R. Weiler, 46, of LaPorte, Indiana, tendered his plea of guilty to production of child pornography, possession of child pornography, and making a destructive device before US Magistrate Judge Michael G. Gotsch, Sr., announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch. 

According to documents in this case, on August 23, 2017, a person who lived near Weiler discovered that someone had run wires into the gas tank of that person’s car. On September18, 2017, investigators learned that Weiler had been accessing a vacant house next to the house of the person whose car had been wired to explode.  On the same date in September, investigators gained access to the vacant house and discovered writings on interior walls documenting the writer’s attempts to acquire a girl under the age of twelve, ideally a newborn baby, for sexual contact.  On September 20, 2017, two incendiary devices were located inside Weiler’s house, one of which is commonly referred to as an improvised explosive device (IED), and the other of which is commonly referred to as a CO₂ “cricket” bomb.  On September 21, 2017, multiple electronic devices and electronic storage devices were located inside Weiler’s house, some of which contained over 24,000 images and over 80 videos of child pornography.  The videos included videos of Weiler engaging in sexual acts with a child under the age of twelve.  Weiler’s electronic devices also contained videos of him discussing the explosive devices.

The Magistrate Judge will make a report and recommendation to the assigned District Court Judge whether the tendered plea should be accepted. The parties are afforded 14 days to object to the Magistrate Judge’s recommendation.  The District Judge thereafter will decide to accept or reject the tendered plea.  The plea is final when the District Court Judge accepts it.  A

sentencing hearing will then be scheduled by the District Judge.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the LaPorte County Prosecutor’s Office, LaPorte Police Department, Michigan City Police Department, and the Porter County Sheriff’s Department. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John M. Maciejczyk and Molly E. Donnelly.

###