Judge rules California man had enough materials to make ‘weapons of mass destruction’

A California judge on Thursday ruled that prosecutors had enough evidence to demonstrate that a 33-year-old man had plans to make “weapons of mass destruction.” 

Visalia Times-Delta reported that Joshua Isgrigg, who appeared in court Thursday for a preliminary hearing, faces charges of possession of explosives with intent to cause harm, manufacturing a destructive device without a permit, elder abuse and credit card fraud. 

Police in Porterville, Calif., started an initial investigation into the man in late April over allegations of elder abuse and credit card fraud. According to Sgt. Ron Moore, detectives took over the case after police were made aware of suspicions that Isgrigg was buying illegal firearms and referencing an “apocalypse.” 

In June, after detectives found evidence of Isgrigg making statements about the 2017 Las Vegas mass shootings and other violent attacks, police obtained a warrant to search his home, where Moore said investigators found materials required to make a “large-scale bomb.” 

“Some of the items seized were large amounts of ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, citric acid, along with several others,” Moore said in a press release Thursday. “Possession of these substances are all precursors to the manufacturing of a weapon of mass destruction, similar to those used in the Oklahoma City bombing of 1995.”

Moore added in the statement, “also uncovered was evidence that Isgrigg was, in fact, using these chemicals to manufacture explosives.” 

According to the release, Isgrigg is being held without bail at the Tulare County Jail. The Times-Delta reported that the man will appear in court again on Oct. 15 for the scheduling of additional hearings and a trial. 

This comes a week after federal documents revealed that a South Carolina man had planned bomb attacks on various locations throughout the U.S., adding that doing so “could be Netflix worthy” and give him “rock star status.” 

The South Carolina man, as well as an alleged accomplice, are currently in police custody for “conspiring to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization.”