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James Neff, who resides in Dobbs Ferry, was taken into custody on charges related to weapons possession. The arrest was made on Thursday, May 2.
The US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York confirmed that a search of his home and two storage units yielded a significant number of firearms and materials that could be used to construct improvised explosives.
According to federal officials, as part of an investigation into Neff, law enforcement conducted a search of his home and rented storage units on Wednesday, May 1. During the operation, they allegedly found:
- Over 30 firearms, including ones that appeared to be personally built and assault rifle-syle weapons;
- A "significant" amount of ammunition;
- Materials related to explosives, including several books on how to make homemade bombs such as "The Anarchist Arsenal, Improvised Incendiary and Explosives Techniques," "How To Bury Your Goods," and multiple volumes of the "Improvised Munitions Black Book";
- Suspected precursors to explosives;
- Suspected low explosives or smokeless powders;
- Items connected to the preparation of homemade explosives, such as a fuse that could be used to initiate such a device, cardboard containers with endcaps, a pipe with two endcaps, and grenade bodies.
After conducting searches, Neff confessed to owning firearms and suspected explosive chemicals and storing them at his Dobbs Ferry house before moving to storage units, according to federal officials.
Neff is now charged with one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition after a felony conviction, as he was previously convicted in New York on charges punishable by a prison term longer than a year more than 20 years ago. He faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith condemned Neff's apparent need for such a collection of weapons and explosives-related materials:
"There is no reasonable explanation to justify the arsenal law enforcement discovered, and convicted felons with access to such armaments pose an incredible threat to public safety," Smith said, continuing, "The FBI will continue to confiscate weapons from criminals and ensure these devices are not used to inflict harm against our citizens.”
Anyone with more information about Neff is asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
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