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Police Detonate Chemicals Found In Longmont Home

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Jul 3, 2009 1:33 pm US/Mountain

Police Detonate Chemicals Found In Longmont Home

Reporting
Jodi Brooks
LONGMONT, Colo. (AP/CBS4) ― A bomb squad has detonated chemicals seized from the home of a Longmont man who is on probation on explosives charges.

Police found the chemicals Thursday in the home of Ronald Swerlein, 52. He was arrested on suspicion of possessing explosives.

Swerlein pleaded guilty last year to possessing explosives and was sentenced to six years' probation. The judge barred him from collecting any more explosives.

Police say a neighbor reported an explosion and smoke last week at Swerlein's house. Investigators obtained a warrant and the Boulder County bomb squad searched the home Thursday.

Police say they found chemicals and "unstable powders." They dug a bunker in Swerlein's yard, evacuated five nearby homes and detonated the materials there.

The former engineer claims he is just an experimenter, and as yet police have not found any malicious intent behind his collecting of potentially dangerous materials.

"We have not been able to find his motivation or any criminal motivation to utilize the explosives," Longmont Cmdr. Tim Lewis said.

Swerlein's wife lives in the home with him and isn't facing any charges.

Police say Swerlein may also face a drug charge because officers say they discovered what they believe was cocaine.

(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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