PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla.— The State Attorney's Office has charged a Pinellas County man with planting an improvised explosive device at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Bay Pines on May 29.
According to an affidavit, FBI agents arrested Mark Edward Allen, 60, for the possession of unregistered explosive devices.
Investigators say Allen placed the IED at the VA Hospital on May 29. His actions were captured on surveillance cameras.
The device contained a 9-volt battery, electrical wires, an improvised initiator, an unknown powder and a clothespin switch, according to documents.
On May 31, Allen's wife called police and reported he had been making other devices in his home.
Ultimately, the FBI determined the devices found at Bay Pines and at Allen’s house were similar and that Allen was responsible for both devices.
According to the arrest affidavit, Allen is a United States Army veteran.
If convicted, Allen faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.
Allen is currently detained.
