HASTINGS, Minn. — A Hastings man is charged after authorities say an explosive was found near an elementary school.
John Allan Lee was charged this week — a year and a half after the device was found in February 2023.
According to the criminal complaint, someone saw the device on the ground near a telephone poll by a school. They brought it home thinking it was trash but realized it might be an explosive.
The St. Paul Bomb Squad responded. Because the explosive was found near a school and there was an active strike, a special agent bomb technician with the FBI aided in the investigation, court documents state.
The investigation revealed the item was a functional IED. According to the complaint, DNA was found on it belonging to Lee.
When Lee was interviewed by investigators he said he had not set anything by a telephone pole and had never built an explosive. He said he tossed “like a M80 or something like that" around the same time the device was found. He also said he often walks down the street the explosive was found.
Lee made his first court appearance Thursday, where bond was set at $100,000 with conditions. He returns to court in September.
