Police Say Freetown Explosion Suspect Had Bomb-Making Manuals In Home
FREETOWN (CBS) – Derek Faisca-Ribeiro of New Bedford was arrested in connection with an explosion that rocked Freetown residents Wednesday morning.
Police say Faisca-Ribeiro, 25, stuffed a mattress with fireworks and lit it on fire on Slab Bridge Road around 4 am. Twenty minutes before, a police officer spotted a man with a mattress tied to the roof of his black Toyota Camry. They questioned him and took down the license plate number. Later, police discovered the car was registered to Alizira Ribeiro, who identified the driver as her son Derek Faisca-Ribeiro.
Police found the Camry near his New Bedford home. Inside the house, police discovered evidence tying him to the explosion, including military manuals for improvised explosive devices. According to police, Faisca-Ribeiro served as a military combat engineer, before being kicked out in 2011 for misconduct.
Upon questioning, police say Faisca-Ribeiro admitted to buying fireworks in New Hampshire and bundling them up inside of the mattress.
During his Wednesday afternoon arraignment, a judge ruled Faisca-Ribeiro be held without bond until an Oct.15 hearing.
Faisca-Ribeiro's attorney argued his client wasn't trying to set off an explosion but intended to get rid of an old mattress by stuffing fireworks inside and lighting them up.
Faisca-Riberio faces charges including launching a destructive device and discharging an explosive device to injure property.
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