Oregon Man Arrested On Explosives Charge

Federal agents found a cache of guns, grenades and 330 pounds of explosives Friday while searching the property of a self-described survivalist.

Ray Hamblin, 51, was arrested by federal agents after turning himself in Friday, two days after a rural shack on his property was demolished in a series of explosions heard for miles. He was charged with unlawful possession of a hand grenade.

A judge ordered him held without bail pending a Monday detention hearing.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Thomson had asked that Hamblin be jailed while authorities search his property.

ATF agents, state police bomb experts and military explosives experts converged on the 16-acre property 60 miles east of Portland to begin sifting through the debris Friday.

Investigators found about 330 pounds of high explosives were found unexploded, packed in a truck trailer near the demolished shed, according to an affidavit. Firearms, silencers and grenades were found in the debris.

The affidavit said agents feared the trailer was booby-trapped and cut a hole in the top of the truck to lower themselves inside.

Hamblin has a federal license to possess four machine guns and two silencers - but not explosives such as hand grenades. He also has a state explosives permit that allows storage of explosives in state-approved facilities.

One neighbor said Hamblin, a former building contractor who is married with three children, had described himself as a survivalist.

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