Man charged in pipe bomb explosions detonated in Weare

Dale Stewart (Police mugshot)

CONCORD - A Webster man has been arrested in connection with two pipe bomb explosions in Weare earlier this week.

Dale Stewart, 54, was charged with possessing an unregistered firearm, a destructive device, and possessing a destructive device unidentified by a serial number. He will make an initial appearance in federal court on Wednesday and remains in custody on state charges related to the destructive device explosions.

According to the charging documents, Stewart allegedly constructed and detonated two destructive devices in Weare on Wednesday and Thursday. In response to the explosions, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Stewart's vehicle and retrieved an additional destructive device, constructed of white PVC pipe, with glued end caps, wrapped in black electrical tape, with a green hobby fuse protruding from one of the end caps. The destructive device found in the vehicle contained more than 4 ounces of an explosive material, consistent with the manufacturing of the two recovered suspected pipe bombs from the two separate detonation scenes in Weare.

The charges of possessing an unregistered destructive device and possessing a destructive device unidentified by serial number provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, and a fine of up to $ 10,000.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Weare Police Department; and the Federal Protective Service led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the New Hampshire State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cesar Vega is prosecuting the case.