U.S. Attorney’s Office – District of Oregon release – PORTLAND, Ore.—A Tillamook County, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today after he was found driving a stolen vehicle while possessing explosive materials housed in a metal bottle. Robert David Larsen, 36, was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. According to court documents, on April 27, 2021, officers from the Cornelius Police Department pulled Larsen over while he was driving a stolen vehicle. Officers searched the vehicle and found suspected explosive materials and several catalytic converters in the trunk. The explosive material was constructed out of an 8-inch metal bottle filled with a smokeless, explosive powder. The bottle had a detonation cord inserted through a drilled hole in the bottle’s cap. On June 1, 2021, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a three-count indictment charging Larsen with possessing an unregistered destructive device, unlawfully transporting explosive materials, and possessing explosive materials as a convicted felon. On May 23, 2022, Larsen pleaded guilty to unlawfully transporting explosive materials. Larsen was in state custody from April 2021 until July 2022, when he was transferred to federal custody. His 15-month federal sentence will run consecutive to the time Larsen served in state custody. This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Cornelius Police Department. It was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
