Audience held for Napa man accused of having chemicals for explosives

A napa man accused of possessing explosive materials was arrested on January 10 After the authorities say he ordered the nitric acid that was delivered to his old workplace after being fired, he showed the judicial testimony on Thursday.

During a 90 -minute preliminary hearing, Judge Scott Young ruled that Justin Fisher, 31, must be tried, concluding that there were sufficient evidence to proceed. Fisher is scheduled to return to the Court on February 10 for reading charges in two serious crimes.

The audience focused on the chemicals discovered on January 10 in a house in Coombs Street and if Fisher intended to use them for explosives.

“We have many ingredients. We do not have a testimony that shows that these ingredients would be used to make an explosive device, “said Fisher’s lawyer, Ji-Hyn Cho, in court.

The researchers declared that although chemicals are legal to possess, they are commonly used in explosive devices.

Judge Young, after reviewing photos of the evidence, acknowledged that each chemist could only not be worrying, but said that, combined, they seemed suspicious.

The authorities say that Fisher had been previously fired from his work as Bodegas Laboratory Manager for Low Performance and Assistance. A criminal complaint alleges that he used a Company Credit Card To buy magnesium perchlorate, barium nitrate and other substances commonly associated with homemade explosives, none of which was related to their work duties.

Initially, Fisher was accused of having materials with the intention of making a destructive device. This week, prosecutors added a second count of serious crimes, conspiracy, after claiming Fisher tried to spend his cell phone to a woman with him during his arrest on January 10.

The authorities claim that the measure was an attempt to hide evidence or communicate on the case.

Cho argued that words were not exchanged, and there was no evidence that Fisher tried to hide anything. However, Judge Young confirmed the position.

The case raised concerns due to Fisher’s criminal history.

In June 2019, he was arrested during a traffic stop on Highway 29 in American Canyon, where agents found two pipe pumps, explosives and drugs in their vehicle. It was convicted in March 2020 of five positions related to possessing and transporting destructive devices, according to judicial records.

After the winery staff alerted officials about the purchase of nitric acid, the deputy of the Napa County Sheriff, Charlie Sarnik, began investigating.

On January 10, the authorities executed a search warrant in Fisher’s house and a storage unit registered for him. The researchers say they also found instructions to make explosives, electrical coincidences, metal cylinders, fireworks containers and potential shrapnel components, such as screws, nuts and bolts.

Detectivechris Dameron of the NAPA sheriff testified on Wednesday that these chemical materials and products can expand an explosion or burning of something. “

You can communicate with staff writer Colin Atagi at [email protected]. On Twitter @colin_atagi