Man arrested at home after discovery of destructive devices in Fort Pierce
Keith Anthony Morrone faces eight charges.
The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Fort Pierce man after an investigation that began Thursday identified suspected destructive devices at a residence.
Keith Anthony Morrone, 57, of Fort Pierce, was arrested and charged with eight counts of explosives, possessing, making or attempting to make destructive devices, the sheriff’s office said Friday.
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Incident in Fort Pierce
The home is in the 6000 block of Balsam Drive.
Morrone is currently being held at the St. Lucie County Jail on a $20,000 bond.
St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office
Keith Anthony Morrone
At approximately 12:20 p.m. Thursday, detectives with the SLCSO Targeted Violence Unit were serving a risk protection order at the residence when they identified suspected destructive devices, Fort Pierce police said in a news release Friday morning.
Detectives secured the residence and surrounding area and requested assistance from the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Disposal Team.
Bomb technicians also responded to the residence and conducted a preliminary examination of the suspected devices. Technicians removed seven devices from the residence and safely secured them in a containment vessel.
Detectives subsequently obtained a search warrant for the residence. During the execution of the search warrant, investigators located an additional improvised explosive device, which was safely secured and removed.
This brought the total number of improvised explosive devices recovered from the residence to eight. Investigators also found a large quantity of materials used in the construction of explosive devices.
Eight firearms were also taken into custody pursuant to the service of a risk protection order.
“This investigation underscores the seriousness of what our detectives encountered and the importance of being alert to the threats around us,” Sheriff Richard Del Toro said. “Our Targeted Violence Unit detectives recognized the potential danger and took immediate action, and our Bomb Disposal Team technicians put themselves in harm’s way to safely secure and remove these devices. I’m proud of their professionalism and courage, and grateful for the expertise and partnership of the FBI and ATF as we continue this investigation.”
The investigation remains ongoing, and there is no immediate threat to the community.
“They came across a box of items that were indicative of being destructive devices,” said Capt. Andrew Bolonka of the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office.
Neighbors expressed concern about the situation.
“That’s really bad,” Terry Rates, who has lived in the neighborhood for 10 years, told WPBF’s Ari Hait.
Rates described the area as peaceful and said he was surprised to see such activity near his home.
“It’s a really nice neighborhood. That’s the first I’ve ever heard of anything happening around here,” he said.
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