Drug Dealer Who Detonated Pipe Bomb Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

A College Park drug dealer who detonated a pipe bomb on a customer’s front porch and built two pipe bombs intended to blow up another customer’s car, has been sentenced to prison for his role in the drug operation.

According to the Department of Justice, John Frank Jenkins, 30, of College Park and his co-conspirators sold oxycodone pills obtained through false prescriptions from January 2011 through December 2012.

The suspects allegedly created fake prescriptions, which they had filled at pharmacies throughout the area about twice a week, each allowing them to obtain around 180 pills, reports WJLA TV.

According to the federal authorities, Jenkins and his co-conspirators consumed some of the pills and sold the rest. During the conspiracy, Jenkins also reportedly began to use and distribute heroin as a cheaper substitute for the oxycodone, selling heroin to pay for the heroin he used.

In November 2012, authorities say Jenkins refused to sell oxycodone to one of his customers, resulting in an argument. After the argument, Jenkins reportedly built two pipe bombs, which he intended to use to blow up the customer’s vehicle.

Another customer owed Jenkins $50 for oxycodone that Jenkins had supplied several months earlier. After being unable to collect the debt, in December 2012 Jenkins and a co-conspirator placed the pipe bomb on the front porch of the customer who was in debt and lit the fuse. The bomb exploded, damaging the front door while the targeted customer slept on the other side of the door.

Jenkins was charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and oxycodone, making an explosive device, and being a felon in possession of an explosive device.

On Friday, U.S. District Judge Pal W. Grimm sentenced Jenkins to 10 years in prison for the explosive device charges, followed by 14 months of home detention as part of an additional sentence for three years of supervised release for the conspiracy charge.