Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

DENVER – Adam Nauveed Hayat, age 35, Denver, Colorado, was arrested without incident yesterday in a Los Angeles, California hotel, after being charged in U.S. District Court in Denver for possession of pipe bombs not registered with the ATF, Acting U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer, FBI Denver Division Special Agent in Charge Calvin Shivers, ATF Denver Field Division Special Agent in Charge Debora Livingston and Denver Police Department Chief Robert White announced. 

 

Hayat made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California this afternoon where he was read his rights and advised of the charge pending against him.  He was ordered held without bond and ordered removed to Colorado.  He will eventually be transferred by the U.S. Marshals Service for further court proceedings.

 

According to the affidavit in support of the Criminal Complaint, on February 15, 2017, personnel from the Sheraton Hotel located at 1550 Court Place contacted the Denver Police Department to report a suspicious incident.  Upon arriving, the Denver Police Department (DPD) went to room 1902 -- and found the word “explosives” written on the closet door mirror.  The officer then opened the closet, opened the safe, and found a closed ammunition case.  Also found in the hotel room were several metal pipes and empty rifle shell casings.  The DPD officer immediately contacted their bomb squad.  The DPD Bomb Squad carefully examined the ammunition case – and found pipe bombs.  They safely removed the ammunition case from the hotel room and transported it to their bomb range, where they rendered it safe.

 

It was determined during the course of the investigation that Adam Nauveed Hayat rented room 1902 at the downtown Denver Sheraton Hotel.  An arrest warrant was issued first by the Denver Police Department and then later by federal authorities.  He was located and arrested at a hotel near the Los Angeles International Airport.

 

The defendant is charged with one count of possession of firearms not registered with the National Firearms and Registration Transfer Record.  The penalty on that charge is not more than 10 years in federal prison, and up to a $250,000 fine.

 

This case was investigated by the FBI, ATF, and the Denver Police Department.  The Los Angeles Police Department, as well as the Los Angeles FBI and ATF were involved in the arrest.  His court appearance was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.

 

“Cases like this demonstrate the reason that law enforcement advises citizens, ‘if you see something, say something,’” said Denver Police Chief Robert White.

 

The defendant is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Judith Smith, Chief of the Cybercrime and National Security Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia Martinez both with the Colorado’s U.S. Attorney’s Office. 

 

A Criminal Complaint is a preliminary probable cause charging document.  Anyone accused of committing a felony violation of federal law has a Constitutional right to be indicted by a grand jury.  The charges in the Complaint are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.