CLEARFIELD – A Clearfield woman accused of possessing explosive devices was sentenced to state prison Tuesday.
Brandi Louise Katheryn Boris, 46, pleaded guilty to two felony counts of weapons of mass destruction before Judge Paul E. Cherry, who sentenced her to serve 12 months to six years in state prison.
It was noted that if she successfully completes a state drug treatment program, she would serve five years consecutive probation.
For a probation violation on a previous hindering apprehension case, she was given an additional period of 12 months to three years in state prison.
The charges stem from an incident in Clearfield Borough on Feb. 26, when police received a report of a backpack found on a public sidewalk on Williams Street. It contained drug paraphernalia, multiple wallets and other items. It also had several items of identification with Boris’ name on them.
Police checked her through their computer system, discovering she had a warrant for not appearing for a preliminary hearing on an assault charge.
They traveled to the address on her identification but a woman there said she had not seen her in days. She suggested Boris could be at her mother’s home on Williams Street.
When she was questioned, Boris’ mother said she had recently seen her and confirmed the backpack belonged to Boris. She thought it must have fallen off the roof of her car.
She stated that Boris had several clear backpacks and bags. She did not know where Boris was at that time.
The officers searched the backpack more closely and found a zippered bag containing four explosive devices, each weighing at least 36 grams. They had metal carbon dioxide cartridges with a pink fuse coming out the top. Each was wrapped with electrical tape.
“The devices appeared to have been drilled at the top with the fuse fed down into the hole from the top,” it says in the criminal complaint.
They were placed in a firearm safe for safety until a bomb disposal unit could evaluate them.
Other items found included a scale, small plastic bags known to be used for drugs, a lighter, a firecracker, a glass smoking device, 12 carbon dioxide cartridges, a roll of electrical tape, screwdriver, a pocket knife, jewelry and perfume.
On Feb. 28, a search warrant was executed on Boris’s home. In the basement, officials found a work station with tools.
In a metal cabinet they located several bottles with Daisy brand BBs, more CO2 cartridges, an unspent shotgun round and a reloading press with a light above it that was still on.
Additional rounds were discovered in the attic in a box underneath a TV.
“The tools needed to manufacture the explosive devices were present in the basement of the residence, specifically the reloading press found in the basement which had the capabilities to distribute explosive powder.”
Boris was questioned about the backpack and devices on March 1 at the county jail. She denied having a backpack, then claimed it was stolen from somewhere near her parents’ house.
She denied the devices belonged to her. Later she admitted to ownership of the devices but stated she got them from someone else.
Boris also pleaded guilty in the assault case and was given a concurrent term of 30 days to one year in state prison.