Man accused of placing explosives along roads and highways in El Dorado, Sacramento counties
EL DORADO COUNTY — An Orangevale man was arrested on accusations that he had placed improvised explosive devices at various places along roads and highways in Sacramento and El Dorado counties, authorities said Friday.
Benjamin Edward Cunha, 41, was booked into the El Dorado County Jail early Friday evening and faces charges of the unlawful explosion of a destructive device, maliciously or recklessly possessing an explosive device and the possession of a destructive device or explosives.
Cunha is being held on $2.1 million bail.
The sheriff's office and the California Highway Patrol's explosive ordinance disposal teams executed the search warrant, an operation that also received assistance from the FBI.
The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office said Cunha's arrest Friday came "after an exhaustive investigation." A spokesperson for the department could not provide further information on the investigation.