A man from Jefferson County, Missouri, has admitted to possessing a pipe bomb, the U.S. District Court in St. Louis announced on Tuesday. Robert Hiler, 38, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of an unregistered destructive device.
The case stems from an incident on September 11, 2023. Jefferson County Sheriff’s Deputies were executing a court-approved search warrant at Hiler’s residence to apprehend another individual with multiple felony warrants. When deputies apprehended the individual in the woods behind Hiler's home, they also secured Hiler's consent to search his premises. During this search, law enforcement discovered a pipe bomb on a grey bucket in a room adjacent to the garage. Hiler admitted to constructing the device himself and revealed his plan to ignite it using a car battery.
Hiler is set for sentencing in July. The charge he faces could result in a penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both.
The investigation was handled by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Ware and Mohsen Pasha.