INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Probation and parole officers arrested 24-year-old Devon Ryerson on Wednesday afternoon for violating probation he was serving out of St. Lucie County for illegal dumping, according to the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.
“Earlier this week, probation and parole officers located a suspicious device in the home of Ryerson, which was forensically analyzed and determined to be an active explosive device,” according to the update.
The suspicious device led detectives to obtain a search warrant for Ryerson’s home where they found another explosive device and more materials that could be used to create an explosive similar to the one confiscated earlier in the week.
The Sheriff’s Office described the first explosive as 4 inches in length, 1.5 inches in diameter, and wrapped in an aluminum tape material containing shotgun primer, gunpowder, metal discs and ball bearings.
According to law enforcement, a third active explosive device was recovered in a storage unit rented by Ryerson located in the 300 block of 5th Street SW in Vero Beach. Ryerson told officers about the device in the storage unit, according to authorities.
Also found in Ryerson’s home were two rifles and one handgun, according to the Sheriff’s Office. As per his probation, Ryerson was prohibited from possessing any firearms or weapons.
Authorities said Ryerson told police he formerly served in the U.S. Navy. His military service has not been confirmed.
Ryerson is being held at the Indian River County Jail without bond. His first appearance hearing is scheduled for Thursday morning.
Sept. 17 4:29 p.m.
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office Multi-Agency Criminal Enforcement (M.A.C.E.) Unit arrested a Vero Beach man on Wednesday prior to finding an active explosive device and other materials for making explosive devices in his home according to the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office.
Devon Ryerson, 24, of the 300 block of 15th Ln. SW in Vero Beach is being held without bond for making and possessing a destructive device and violating probation, according to authorities.
The M.A.C.E. Unit has shifted its search from Ryerson’s residence to a storage unit rented to Ryerson located in the 300 block of 5th St. SW. According to an official release, “detectives have located a military style backpack containing more explosives and explosive material.”
The area around the public storage facility was evacuated while the St. Lucie County Bomb Disposal Unit secured the backpack.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.