Members of Ohio Militia Group Charged with Possessing Unregistered Explosives

CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has charged two members of an Ohio militia group with violating the National Firearms Act in an indictment unsealed here today.

Ryan D. King, 37, of Franklin, Ohio and Randy D. Goodman, 53, of Ripley, Ohio, were each charged with two counts related to possessing unregistered explosive devices. King and Goodman were both arrested today.

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Todd Wickerham, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the charges.

According to the indictment, King and Goodman were members of a militia group operating in the Southern District of Ohio. King and Goodman established a small subset of the militia group and referred to it as the “Special Projects Team.” The defendants advocated that this Team construct, use and stockpile explosives they called “crater makers.”

The defendants allegedly conspired to possess and possessed destructive devices in violation of the National Firearms Act, specifically, bombs and parts necessary to make pipe bombs.

In January 2019, King and Goodman allegedly tested their “crater makers” at Goodman’s home in Ripley, Ohio. They discussed construction and ignition methods in detail. Goodman referenced the Boston Marathon as an example of a remote detonation system that worked.

They discussed which methods would be most lethal.

For example, Goodman asked, “Do we know how they built the pressure cookers for the Boston bombers…we are talking the same concept…”

King added, “If you really want explosions you would bury these in the driveway, so they go up and out. We can build land mines, I’ve already built them before, you know that.”

Possessing an unregistered firearm or destructive device is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Conspiring to do so is a crime that carries a potential maximum sentence of five years in prison.

This case was investigated by agents with the FBI and is being prosecuted by United States Attorney Glassman and Assistant United States Attorney Sheila G. Lafferty.

An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.