Longmont man in court today in explosives raid

Vanessa Miller, Daily Camera

Published June 22, 2007 at midnight

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A retired electrical engineer accused of making explosives in his Longmont home will be formally charged today.

Longmont police Sgt. Tim Lewis said he expects Ronald Swerlein, 50, will be charged with more than two counts of possession and use of explosives — felony charges carrying a prison sentence of two to 12 years.

Many of Swerlein's neighbors attended a community meeting about the case last night.

Police assured them their neighborhood is safe, even with the suspect out of jail.

Still, a crowd of more than 60 people asked why it took so long for officers to search the home at 2404 Sunset Drive; why Swerlein wasn't arrested sooner after his house was raided for dangerous chemicals and agents used in dynamite; and why the man suspected of making explosives is walking free.

"I feel very unsafe," said Heather Atwood, 35, who lives near Swerlein's home.

Swerlein, who retired after he was injured in a head-on collision three years ago, was arrested Sunday after police began raiding his home Friday and reported finding about 400 dangerous chemicals, a cache of guns and ammunition and suspicious reading material.

Among the chemical brews found in the tri-level house, police reported, were nitroglycerin, the main ingredient in dynamite, and M.E.K.P., the explosive linked to the liquid ban on air travel.

Swerlein paid the required 10 percent of his $50,000 bond to leave the Boulder County Jail on Tuesday.

Longmont police Sgt. Tim Lewis said he expects Swerlein will be charged with more than two counts of possession and use of explosives — felony charges carrying a prison sentence of two to 12 years.

Police said it took them several days to search Swerlein's home and develop probable cause to make an arrest.

"And the judge elected to set the bond," Lewis said, adding that police don't get a say in that. A prosecutor asked Monday that his bond be doubled to $100,000 but was turned down.

Police finished their search of the home Wednesday — removing all the suspicious chemicals and weapons — and turned it back over to Swerlein. Lewis said it doesn't appear Swerlein and his wife have returned, although neighbors said they're worried he will.

"It's scary he lives so close to a school," said Janelle Ludeman, 37, whose 6-year-old son walks past Swerlein's home to T-ball practice twice a week. "There are lots of young kids who walk by the house daily. Why wasn't something done before now?"

Lewis said police have removed nearly 1,000 pieces of evidence — including cell phones, computers and suspicious reading material — and he said he'd feel safe letting his 7-year-old daughter visit the nearby park.

Before police searched the house last Friday, police reported receiving 15 calls for explosions, fireworks or shots fired in the past year and a half, according to a search warrant.

Lewis said officers did respond to all reports of possible explosions in the area, but few people could pinpoint where they were coming from or what was causing them, he said.

"Officers had nothing specific to follow up on," he said.

Police Chief Mike Butler said detectives still can't be sure those reports were related to activity in Swerlein's home.

"We can't say the sounds came from that house," he said.

Police say they don't know Swerlein's intentions. Swerlein told investigators that he's a "nerd" teaching himself about rocket-fuel technology. His defense attorney has said Swerlein has a clean criminal history and is not affiliated with any dangerous groups.

When asked whether neighbors should be concerned Swerlein will come back to "get revenge" on people who reported him, Lewis said, "No."

"I am not worried he'll show up at your door," he said.

Because many residents were evacuated at least once during the raids, and some people heard explosions, Butler offered victims' advocates to help residents deal with any trauma.

"Some people have said they had relatives in the Oklahoma City bombing," Butler said. "I can only imagine."

Dennis Bruns, 58, said he was reminded of his service in Vietnam when he heard an explosion Saturday as officers destroyed suspicious materials.

"That freaked me a little," he said. "It was a little trip back."

Contact Camera Staff Writer Vanessa Miller at 303-473-1329 or millerv@dailycamera.com.

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