TAMPA, Fla. (WWSB) - A brother and sister have been indicted in connection with an IED placed at MacDill Air Force Base, according to an X post from FBI Director Kash Patel ahead of a planned Thursday afternoon news conference by federal officials.
MacDill is home to CENTCOM and U.S. Special Operations Command.
Patel wrote that one of the suspects is in custody for accessory and evidence tampering and that the primary suspect is charged with explosives offenses and is in China.
The post adds a new development to a case that already led to the arrest of 35-year-old Jonathan James Elder, who authorities said made threatening calls to MacDill earlier this week.
Elder was arrested after a pair of threatening calls to the base led to a lockdown. Authorities have said he confessed to making those calls.
Questions had remained about whether Elder was connected to a suspicious package left at the base before the calls. Patel's post says an IED was placed at MacDill, but the information provided so far does not make clear whether Elder is accused in that part of the case or whether he is connected to the brother and sister mentioned in the post.
Previous reporting says Elder is charged with making a threat by means of fire or an explosive. According to a federal criminal complaint filed March 20 in the Middle District of Florida, investigators said the alleged threat came March 18, two days after law enforcement found a suspicious package outside the Visitor Control Center at MacDill.
Court records say that earlier incident shut down the base's main entrance for about seven hours, closed nearby roadways and blocked access to public businesses.
Investigators said someone called MacDill's main number around 9:11 a.m. March 18, and the call was routed to the 6th Medical Group. According to the affidavit, the caller said, “How did you like the surprise at the MacDill Visitor Center?” and then yelled, “tick tick boom, it’s gonna be between your eyes.”
MacDill closed all gates after the call, and on-base personnel were told to shelter in place for about four hours, according to the affidavit.
Federal agents said they linked the phone number to Elder through T-Mobile call records, cell-site data, Meta account records and a St. Petersburg address associated with an assisted-living facility. Investigators said Elder later admitted calling MacDill and asking whether they “enjoyed the pipe bomb at the front gate at MacDill,” before saying, “head on, apply directly to the forehead.”
According to the affidavit, Elder told investigators he had no grievance with MacDill and denied making or researching weapons.
Federal officials are scheduled to speak later Thursday at the U.S. Attorney's Office.