Hannibal man admits to making pipe bombs; faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced Oct. 30

ST. LOUIS – A Hannibal man has admitted making a series of illegal pipe bombs in 2022.

Joshua Eugene Rickey, 34, pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of manufacturing one or more unregistered destructive devices and one count of possession of one or more unregistered destructive devices.

A press release from the Office of the United States Attorney, Eastern District of Missouri, said Rickey admitted making a series of pipe bombs out of sparklers and plastic or metal pipes between July 4, 2022 and Aug. 13, 2022. Rickey admitted detonating one in a burned-out house across from his own home in late July 2022. He also lit one at his grandmother’s house, damaging a fence.

Rickey is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 30 by U.S. District Judge John A. Ross. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hannibal Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nino Przulj is prosecuting the case.