Man Faces 2 Years In Prison For Having Homemade Bomb

A man caught with a homemade bomb as big as a cantaloupe faces at least two years in federal prison.

Kelly R. Parr, 34, who owned a Spokane construction company, pleaded guilty Thursday in U.S. District Court to possession of an unregistered firearm, a bomb.

U.S. District Judge Robert Whaley set sentencing for March 29.

Parr, who previously lived at 2513 W. Gorton, faces 24 to 30 months in prison.

He was arrested in downtown Spokane on Oct. 23 after police stopped him for a traffic offense.

Police searched the car Parr was driving after a computer check showed he was wanted on an outstanding warrant.

On the back floorboard, police found a ball-shaped device with a visible fuse.

A bomb squad removed the device, later determined to be a bomb, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Rice.

A laboratory analysis by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms showed the bomb was composed of metal screws and glass fragments, wrapped with plastic tape.

The fuse was attached to several large firecrackers inside the device, Rice said.

ATF agents learned Parr got the bomb from Kendall DeMent, 40, of 1813 E. Second, who also was arrested on a charge of possessing a destructive device.

Authorities have no idea what Parr planned to do with the bomb.

DeMent pleaded guilty earlier this month to that charge and two counts of bank fraud.

Rice said the bank fraud charges were filed after DeMent fraudulently obtained and cashed $10,564 in checks drawn on accounts of Albertson’s supermarkets and the Longhorn Barbecue.

DeMent is scheduled to be sentenced April 11 by U.S. District Judge Fred Van Sickle.

, DataTimes