Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that on January 15, 2014, Arlen McWain, 60, of Barre, Vermont was sentenced to time served after his guilty plea to a charge that he possessed explosive materials as a convicted felon in July 2012. At the time of sentencing, McWain had been in custody in this case for approximately 18 months. United States District Judge William K. Sessions III also ordered that McWain serve two years of supervised release. As part of the conditions of his supervised release, McWain is prohibited from possessing explosive materials.

According to court records, McWain was convicted in California in 1992 of felony possession of an explosive device. He served a two year sentence in connection with that case. In this case, the Barre City Police Department received complaints from concerned citizens in July 2012 that McWain was constructing improvised explosive devices (“IEDs”) in his apartment. The Barre City Police Department obtained a search warrant for McWain’s apartment, where they recovered several small IEDs consisting of spent ammunition casings and wicking material. Law enforcement also recovered smokeless powder, several empty ammunition casings, and a loaded. 22 caliber rifle. Due to his felony criminal record, McWain was prohibited by law from possessing both the firearm and the explosive powder.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Barre City Police Department, with assistance from the Vermont State Police Bomb Squad. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin J. Doyle. McWain is represented by Federal Defender Michael L. Desautels.

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