Federal Explosives Charges

Three Arrested on Federal Explosives Charges


April 14, 2010 - Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Cincinnati Office Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Keith Bennett; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Columbus Field Division SAC Christopher Sadowski; FBI Louisville Office SAC Elizabeth Fries; and ATF Louisville SAC Paul Vido announced that on April 13, 2010, FBI and ATF agents arrested three individuals on federal charges that they illegally possessed and delivered explosives. In addition, agents executed four federal search warrants in Ohio and one in Kentucky as the result of the same investigation.

Arrested were:

Daniel J. Bancroft, age 43, Sidney, OH. Daniel Bancroft is charged with illegally possessing and transferring explosives as well as conspiring to transfer explosives.

Robert Bancroft, age 41, Williamstown, KY (Daniel’s brother). Robert Bancroft is charged with the same offenses as Daniel Bancroft.

Paul Zahn, age 44, Bainbridge, OH. Zahn is charged with conspiring to possess and transfer explosives.

Search warrants were executed as follows:

313 North Walnut Avenue, Sidney, OH (Daniel Bancroft’s home)

2761 Tong Hollow Road, Bainbridge, OH

127 High Street, Williamstown, KY (Robert Bancroft’s home)

1994 Dodge Dakota truck (owned by Daniel Bancroft)

1992 Chevrolet S-10 truck (owned by Zahn)

A federal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky alleges that on two separate occasions during February 2010, the Bancrofts sold a total of 12 blocks of military C4 explosives at a location in Walton, Kentucky. Zahn is alleged to have conspired with the Bancrofts to obtain and deliver the explosives.

All three were arrested without incident this morning between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. All three will receive an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at Covington today. The U.S. Magistrate will determine whether they will be detained pending further judicial proceedings.

The following state and local law enforcement agencies assisted in today’s operations: Sidney, Ohio PD; Ross County, Ohio Sheriff’s Office; Columbus Division of Fire Bomb Squad; Dayton Police Department Bomb Squad; Williamstown, Kentucky PD; Kentucky State Police; and Boone County, Kentucky Sheriff’s Office.

A complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct. All individuals are presumed innocent until convicted.

Contact:

FBI Cincinnati: Michael Brooks (513) 562-5720, michael.brooks@ic.fbi.gov

ATF Columbus: Kimberly Riddell (614) 827-8474, kimberly.riddell@atf.gov

FBI Louisville: David Beyer (502) 263-6007, david.beyer@ic.fbi.gov

ATF Louisville: George Huffman (502) 753-3554, george.huffman@atf.gov