Brooklyn Man Charged with Additional Count for Improvised Explosive Device Found in His Residence

Earlier today, a grand jury returned a superseding indictment against Victor Kingsley, a Brooklyn resident, adding a charge of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction based on a fully assembled explosive device that police found in his apartment when he was arrested in February 2018.  The new indictment includes the original charges for the use of a weapon of mass destruction that resulted in the death of a Queens resident on July 28, 2017, and for the unlawful transportation of explosive materials.  Kingsley will be arraigned at a later date in federal court in Brooklyn.

Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division; William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office; and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department, announced the charges.

As alleged in court filings, Kingsley built the explosive device used in the July 28, 2017 murder as part of his broader effort to retaliate violently against several police officers who were part of an NYPD unit that had arrested him in January 2014.  Despite the 2014 arrest eventually resulting in the dismissal of charges, Kingsley sought revenge against the officers.  Ultimately, he arranged for the explosive device to be placed outside of the Queens residence where Kingsley mistakenly believed one of his target officers resided.  The building owner inadvertently detonated the device when he tried to open it, and he died as a result of his injuries.  Thereafter, Kingsley continued to acquire explosive device parts.

Kingsley was arrested at his Brooklyn residence on February 28, 2018.  During the search of his residence, agents seized another fully assembled destructive device contained in a mailing tube identical to the one used for the July 2017 device, as well as large quantities of incendiary powder.  This additional destructive device is the basis for the new charge in the superseding indictment.

If convicted on all counts, Kingsley faces a maximum sentence of life in prison or death.  The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security & Cybercrime Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Margaret Lee and Michael Keilty are in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendant:

Victor C. Kingsley

Age: 37

Brooklyn, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-128 (S-1) (SJ)