SC man charged with possessing an explosive as part of federal investigation
An Upstate man has been arrested for allegedly possessing explosives, and state authorities say it is part of a federal investigation.
According to a release and affidavits from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, David Scott Halsey, 58, of Easley, has been arrested and charged with possessing, manufacturing or transporting a destructive device or explosive for damage, injury or death.
Halsey was arrested Sunday and booked into the Pickens County Detention Center. The 13th Circuit Solicitor’s Office will prosecute the case. Online records indicate Halsey was still being held at the jail as of Monday morning, with a note that he was under an additional hold by the FBI.
“SLED, Easley Police Department and Pickens County Sheriff’s Office are working in conjunction with a federal investigation,” SLED said in its release.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit, in early November Halsey allegedly possessed “hexamethylene triperoxide diamine (HMTD), a known improvised explosive which has been configured to cause damage, injury or death.”
The American Chemical Society says that, “HMTD is a powerful explosive, but it is not easy to handle. Shock, friction, heat, and reaction with common metals can cause it to detonate. Although it is more stable than other peroxides, it is not used commercially or by the military.”
HMTD was a part explosive devices planted in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood in a 2016 incident, according to CNN.
This story was originally published January 18, 2021 at 11:38 AM.
