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SALT LAKE CITY — A Provo man accused of bringing a "cricket bomb" to the U.S. Federal Courthouse now faces federal charges.
A complaint was filed Friday against Brandon Evert Bushnell, 33, for unlawful possession of an explosive in a federal building.
About 12:15 p.m. Thursday, Bushnell arrived at the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building, 125 S. State, for a Social Security Administration hearing. During a routine security screening upon entering, a device was found inside his jacket, according to the complaint.
The small "cricket bomb" consisted of a "carbon dioxide cartridge as the container for explosives" with a fuse sticking out of it, according to the complaint. An X-ray later conducted on the cartridge revealed apparent explosive powder, investigators said.
Bushnell said the material inside the cartridge was "flower dust," a "lay term for pyrotechnic composition found inside consumer fireworks," the charges state.
The discovery of the device forced the evacuation of the entire building for nearly three hours while a Salt Lake police bomb squad unit examined it.
Bushnell was arrested and booked into the Salt Lake County Jail. The complaint does not say what the man's intent was or if any threats were made.
Bushnell is scheduled to appear Monday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Evelyn Furse. If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to five years in federal prison.
Outside of traffic violations, Bushnell has no signficant criminal history in Utah, according to court records.
Contributing: Alex Cabrero
