A federal magistrate judge has denied bond for the fourth man arrested in a federal probe of explosives stolen from Camp Shelby, where five men allegedly gained access to a dangerous firing range after one of them cut through a barbed-wire fence.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John M. Roper this afternoon denied bond for Lance Looney, 25, after hearing testimony that Looney had admitted he received a check for $3,000 for the latest sale of cleaned-up projectiles sold as scrap to an Alabama recycling center.
The money was split six ways, said a special agent for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Authorities have said they found 51 anti-tank rounds on property in Gulfport after one of them exploded and seriously injured a 33-year-old man who was cutting the round with an acetylene torch.
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Looney admitted he has made three or four trips to gather military-grade munitions from Camp Shelby in spite of warning signs posted every 200 feet, the agent said this afternoon.
Attorney Arthur Carlisle asked the judge to release Looney to house detention, and noted authorities have confirmed Looney has no significant criminal history in his background. The other three already denied bond each have prior felony convictions.
The judge refused to give Looney bond, citing apparent reckless disregard for the safety of others, and said, "My primary concern is the nature and the seriousness of the offense."
Read more in Tuesday's edition of Sun Herald
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