Ocala Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a Destructive Device
Ocala, Florida – Tommy Lee Holt (26, Ocala) today pleaded guilty to possession of an unregistered destructive device in the form of an incendiary bomb. Holt faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
Holt was indicted on February 26, 2020.
According to the plea agreement, on November 5, 2019, Holt manufactured eight incendiary bombs (Molotov cocktails) using glass bottles filled with gasoline. After illegally manufacturing the devices, Holt brought them to a branch of the State of Florida’s Department of Children and Families in Marion County. Once there, he lit the wicks on the destructive devices and unsuccessfully attempted to throw one at the building. When apprehended by police, Holt had a lighter clenched in his right hand and his clothing wreaked of gasoline.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ocala Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety—one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
