Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

DALLAS — A Waxahachie, Texas, man, who was arrested a year ago after law enforcement discovered a firearm, bomb-making chemicals and related literature in his vehicle, was sentenced this morning in federal court in Dallas, announced U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.

Clayton Todd Earthman, 25, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Sidney A. Fitzwater to 41months in federal prison.  He pleaded guilty in March 2014 to one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and one count of possession of an unregistered firearm.

According to documents filed in the case, on the afternoon of June 18, 2013, officers with the Dallas Police Department (DPD) stopped Earthman for committing a traffic violation in the 6600 block of Lovett Avenue in Dallas.  Upon removing Earthman from the car, officers located a loaded Glock model 32 .357 pistol from the driver’s side floorboard.  Officers also observed several large pieces of PVC pipe, end caps and assorted unknown chemicals in the back seat of the car.  Earthman was the sole occupant of the vehicle.

Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were contacted, and upon a search of the car, they discovered fuses, handwritten documents, as well as downloaded material and published documents on how to construct an array of destructive devices and improvised weapons, including grenades.

Earthman advised law enforcement that he was a heroin addict and admitted to using methamphetamine three days three days prior to his arrest.  He advised law enforcement, according to the complaint filed in the case, that he is a “Doom’s day prepper,” and that he had more firearms and chemicals at his residence.

Agents searched his residence in Waxahachie and located a Ruger .223 rifle, a black bag with pipes, a jar of Pyrodex, a box of 12.5 pounds of potassium nitrate, two bags of Hexamine, six silver caps, a bag of aluminum powder, a container with carbon steel balls, a box of grenade parts, a box of sodium nitrate, a box with 100 feet of cord, sodium bisulfate, a bottle of Thermite Ignition, assorted rounds of ammunition, black iron oxide, a jar of smokeless powder, a coffee can with nails and small silver pipes, primers, white pellets, peroxide, iodine, match heads, pipe collars, bolts and washers, detonators, a scale and ammonium perchlorate.

On June 20, 2013, ATF agents executed a warrant at an additional residence leased by Earthman in Dallas.  In the house, agents located a Taurus revolver, ammunition, fifteen marijuana plants, a package of hexamine, assorted wigs, bomb making supplies, unknown liquids and powder chemicals.

A search of the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record revealed no firearms or destructive devices registered to Earthman.  An ATF Explosive Enforcement Officer (EEO) examined all of the items seized in this investigation and determined that the materials Earthman possessed were consistent with an improvised explosive weapon/destructive device.  Because of Earthman’s possession of specialized literature regarding mines, grenades and bobby traps, coupled with the necessary parts and components, the EEO believed Earthman could have readily assembled a functioning explosive device.

ATF and the DPD investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Taly Haffar prosecuted.

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