Woman's House Allegedly Bombed by Ex-Boyfriend Using Drone
In a world where drones are everywhere, it was perhaps inevitable that sooner or later, someone would use them to commit crimes.
Pennsylvania prosecutors think they have found just such a case.
According to the Allentown Morning Call, officials say Jason Muzzicato, 44, used a drone he owned to drop explosives on the home of his former girlfriend, who had an order of protection against him.
Muzzicato was behind bars after his arrest in June on various charges after authorities found firearms and improvised explosive devices at his home in Washington Township and his business in Bangor.
Officials earlier this month added a charge of flying a drone that was not registered with the Federal Aviation Administration. Muzzicato was arraigned Monday in federal court, the Morning Call reported.
“It does not take much imagination to conjure up the enormous harm that can result from the combination of illegal firearms, explosives, and drone aircrafts,” U.S. Attorney William McSwain said in a news release that noted Muzzicato also was charged with methamphetamine use.
“Adding methamphetamine and a disregard of court orders to the mix only serves to heighten the risk. Here the defendant’s alleged behavior violated the law and threatened public safety,” he said.
Prior to the explosion, residents had complained that someone had been damaging cars by dropping nails and fluids.
When Muzzicato’s vehicle was searched, police found “toggle switches on the dashboard” that operate “hidden mechanisms” to “release fluids… Drop nails onto the roadway and release ball bearings… Capable of damaging vehicles,” according to Inside Edition.
Neighbor Charles Carcione said his surveillance camera caught one explosion that could have been caused by Muzzicato’s drone, Fox News reported.
‘There was a loud explosion, really loud explosion,” he said, adding, “Someone could have been killed.”
That was not all.
“One day, I was in the driveway doing something. All of a sudden, I heard them. It rained nails. They came out of the sky. They dropped down from the sky. Nobody was around. Nobody went by and threw them. They dropped from the sky,” he said, adding that he confronted Muzzicato, but the aerial bombardment did not stop.
Carcione, who owns the building where Muzzicato’s former girlfriend lives, said the attacks continued over a long period of time.
“The whole ordeal went on for like 18 months,” he said, according to WPVI-TV in Philadelphia.
Prosecutors indicated that Muzzicato may be behind a series of explosions in the area that began in March. In June, Muzzicato was indicted for possession of homemade bombs and firearms. He was banned from owning guns because of a Protection From Abuse order filed against him.
Defense attorney John Waldron said allegations of drone use to drop explosives have not been proven.
“We don’t have any conclusive evidence, and when my client was interviewed by the FBI he denied that,” he said.
If convicted on all charges, Muzzicato could face 33 years in jail.
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