Crime & Safety

Waltham High School Security Guard Arrested with Bomb Materials [VIDEO]

The suspect allegedly admitted to stealing the materials from Waltham High School.

 

A 23-year-old man who works as a security guard at Waltham High School was arrested on Wednesday after police found bomb-making materials in his car, according to Leominster Police.

Leominster Police arrested Jesse Holland of Gardner at 1:16 a.m. after finding chemicals police say could be used to make a bomb, according to Leominster Police Sgt. Ryan Malatos. Holland faces the following charges: possession of a stun gun, possession of a class A drug and possession of an infernal machine (bomb-making materials). The suspect was arraigned in court on Feb. 27 and was ordered held pending a dangerousness hearing, according to a joint press release from Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy and Waltham Public Schools Superintendent Susan Nicholson.

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The materials were allegedly taken from the chemistry storage room at Waltham High School, according to the press release. 

For more details, see the video of the mayor commenting on the issue in the photo box to the right.

Find out what's happening in Walthamwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The suspect works for Command Security Corporation with which the Waltham High School contracts security services, according to the release. Malatos said Holland patrols the inside and outside of the high school and has keys to the building. 

Holland was arrested at 1:16 a.m. after an encounter with a Leominster Police Officer. The officer was checking a building at 120 North Main St. when he noticed a car parked, with its lights off, in the parking lot of a Barnes & Noble at the Watertower Plaza, according to Malatos. The officer activated his spotlight and noticed Holland popup from the driver seat where he appeared to be moving around. Holland quickly exited the car and started moving toward the officer and “because of the circumstances and how he made the sudden movement," the officer ordered Holland back to the car. The officer approached the car and noticed a large metal hatchet and electric stun gun in the front area of the car. The officer also said he found a class A drug.

Officers say they searched the car and found several substances in the trunk, which police said could be used to make a bomb or incendiary device, according to Malatos. The items included an open bottle of aluminum powder, an open container of iron powder, a coil of rusted wire and an emergency jumpstart battery.” Officers suspected the materials could be used to make a bomb. A Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad Officer later confirmed that suspicion.

Holland was arrested and taken to the Leominster Police Department where he allegedly admitted to taking the bomb-making materials from Waltham High School, according to Malatos. The materials were allegedly taken from the chemistry sotrage room, according to the press release. 

Waltham Police and Leominster Police are investigating the incident, according to the joint press release. 


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