A Northampton County man named Jason Muzzicato, suspected for launching a drone to drop bombs near the house of his ex-girlfriend, has received a five-year sentence on weapons charges, according to federal court documents.
The series of small blasts that the community of Bangor, Maine, saw last year appeared to be a squabble between ex-lovebirds becoming way too passionate.
After being arrested during an investigation into the blasts, Muzzicato was charged with "unlawfully possessing firearms and explosives, and using an unregistered drone aircraft to drop explosive devices in order to terrorize his victim, a former girlfriend".
Since his ex-girlfriend was under a Protection From Abuse (PFA) order, federal law prohibits him from owning these firearms.
Muzzicato claimed that he kept the proscribed weapons because he was subject to harassment, particularly after "damage to his vehicles and those of customers at his business", according to CBS Philly.
“With this combination of homemade bombs, guns and a drone, this defendant terrorized an entire community,” First Assistant US Attorney Williams stated. “His blatant disregard for court orders, the law and others’ personal safety made him a true threat, and we are grateful to our law enforcement partners that Muzzicato was identified and arrested before anyone was physically hurt. Our Office will continue to work with our partners to ensure the security of our communities is not threatened by people who hide behind a remote control.”
Muzzicato pleaded guilty to "possession of a destructive device, possession of firearms by a person subject to a domestic violence protective order, and knowingly operating an unregistered aircraft", while, as CBS Philly noted, denying flying the drone.
