Homemade explosives, guns found in bunker under man’s garage

SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. (KPTV/Gray News) – A man in Washington who had firearms and explosives hidden in an underground bunker beneath his home was sentenced to three years in prison.

According to a statement from the Department of Justice, 42-year-old James Welsey Bowden was arrested in November 2021 after threatening another man with a gun during a fight at his house.

Deputies who responded to the complaint of the fight found what they described as a “laboratory with various chemicals and equipment consistent with the manufacturing of homemade explosives” in the garage.

According to officials, when deputies had cleared the area of explosives, they discovered a detachable panel on the garage floor that led to an underground bunker where they found weapons, ammo, grenades, silencers, armor and other supplies.

The DOJ said two of the firearms were modified to fire as fully automatic machine guns.

U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez stated during the sentencing hearing that Bowden’s drug addiction probably contributed significantly to his illegal behavior.

Before this occurrence, Bowden was prohibited from owning any guns after being found guilty of two felonies in 1998.

Bowden entered a guilty plea to the possession of a handgun, machine gun, and destructive device charges in May.

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