Courts & Crime Explosive Found in Isla Vista Man Taken into Custody for Allegedly Planting 'Destructive Device'

An explosive device was found in Isla Vista on Saturday, May 7, said Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Drew Sugars. A community member found the device in the bushes near the intersection of Embarcadero Del Mar and Cordoba Road, which led to the arrest of 21-year-old San Pedro resident Nelson Paul Chandler.

Upon finding a small, black case containing wires, brass shell casings, and plastic pill containers, the resident brought the case to the Isla Vista Foot Patrol, said Sugars. A deputy searched its contents and found items that traced back to Chandler.

According to Sugars, authorities located an apartment on the 6500 block of Cordoba Road associated with Chandler’s name and contacted the residents, who confirmed that Chandler was at the apartment. Chandler confirmed that the items belonged to him when questioned about the black case and its contents, but was not taken into custody at that time.

After the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s bomb squad determined that several of the items were built to be destructive devices, the Sheriff’s office issued a search warrant for Chandler’s residence on the 2900 block of South Carolina Street in San Pedro. With the assistance of the Los Angeles Police Department and the Harbor Community Police Station, the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department searched Chandler’s residence and took him into custody.

The search of his residence yielded chemical liquids, which were identified by the LAPD’s Hazardous Materials Unit, as well as items similar to those found in the black case in Isla Vista. The Santa Barbara Sheriff’s office arrested Chandler on a $50,000 warrant for possession of destructive devices and possession of materials with the intent to manufacture destructive devices.

Chandler posted bond and was released from jail late Wednesday afternoon, May 18.

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