ODESSA, Texas — An Odessa man has been federally charged in connection to the hoax pipe bomb left at the Ector County Courthouse on April 7.
Court documents show that on that day, David Paul Finnegan, 37, left a suspicious device at the front steps of the courthouse. The device was made up of a large PVC pipe containing miscellaneous objects, held together with black tape, and had a wristwatch taped to it.
The device was determined not to have explosives in it, and further investigation revealed Finnegan was scheduled to be sentenced at the courthouse the day he planted it.
The Ector County Sheriff's Office arrested Finnegan at about 4 p.m. on April 9 in the 3500 block of Galahad. He was originally arrested on a felony warrant for the charge of tampering of record, which came with no bond permitted, and a warrant of felony theft.
He is now federally charged with one count of perpetrating a hoax, according to the Department of Justice. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison.
He had his initial appearance Tuesday before United States Magistrate Judge Ronald Griffin.
This is all the information we have on the case. We will provide updates as we learn more.