Kern County Residents Charged with Federal Explosives Violations

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Joseph Roy Vigneault, 20, of Lake Isabella, and Michael Roy Anglin, 21, of Wofford Heights, charging them with the receipt and transportation of explosives without a license and distributing explosives to a non-licensed person. Vigneault was also charged with stealing explosive materials from a licensed manufacturer, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, in May 2023, Vigneault is alleged to have been involved in the theft of over 700 pounds of Hydromite, an explosive and blasting agent, from Austin Powder West LLC, a licensed explosives manufacturer. The Hydromite contained ammonium nitrate, which is used militarily as an explosive and has been used in several terrorist acts, including the Oklahoma City bombing. Vigneault then recruited Anglin to assist in selling the Hydromite to another individual for a profit. The buyer resided in Wofford Heights. Neither Vigneault, Anglin, nor the buyer were licensed to handle or transport explosives as required by federal law.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Kern County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.