On April 9, 2025, Waylon Blake Gilreath, Sr., a 43-year-old from Williamson, Georgia, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for possessing an unregistered destructive device. This announcement came from Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson. After serving his prison sentence, Gilreath will be under supervised release for three years, as there is no parole in the federal system.
The incident that led to his sentencing occurred on March 20, 2024. Deputies from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office responded to a domestic disturbance call at a residence in Hope Hull, Alabama. They found Gilreath on the front porch, despite a protective order prohibiting him from being on the property. After detaining him, deputies discovered he had a handgun and a knife.
Further inspection of Gilreath's vehicle, parked at the location, revealed nine firearms, including AR-style and handguns, several magazines for ammunition, and two sets of body armor. Some of the magazines were high-capacity drum styles. Additionally, four prescription bottles were found, containing substances that create explosive material when mixed, which require federal regulation. Three of these bottles had metal shrapnel for potential increased destructive power.
On March 21, 2024, a search warrant at Gilreath’s residence uncovered more explosive material and shrapnel, including glass shards. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, and Montgomery Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon W. Bates and Christopher P. Moore prosecuted the case.