Sacramento man found with explosive during airport security check charged in federal court

A man has been charged with bringing an explosive device into Sacramento International Airport (SMF), federal prosecutors announced Tuesday.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California, a criminal complaint was filed against 49-year-old Sacramento resident Kimani Osayande Jones, also known as Kimani Osayande Jackson, accusing him of unlawfully possessing explosive material in an airport.

Court documents state that around 9 p.m. on May 30, Jones attempted to pass through a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint at SMF to board a flight.

Prosecutors said Jones was wearing a scarf covering his face and latex gloves. Investigators allege his carry-on bag contained an M-type explosive device, a torch lighter capable of igniting it, a knife, scissors and scissor blades, an aerosol can and zip ties.

Authorities also said Jones was carrying five cellphones. One phone allegedly had a 15-minute timer ready to start, while another displayed a message from an unidentified number that read, "we will be awaiting your call."

Jones was arrested at the airport, and the explosive device was safely recovered.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said testing later determined the explosive device's powder and fuse were "viable and energetic," with the potential to cause injury, damage an aircraft and cause a loss of cabin pressure if it had detonated next to a window on a pressurized plane flying above 10,000 feet.

Jones faces up to five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine if he is convicted.