Update 4: The second round of charges have been dropped due to a possible error; an attempted carjacking charge may be added. See my more recent post for details.
Update 3: The MCPD has arrested a suspected 17-year-old accomplice from Gaithersburg, and McKenzie-Gude is back in Jail with bail now set at $1 million:
8/1/2008
Update: Charges Filed Against 17-Year-Old in Connection with Illegal Possession of Guns and ExplosivesDetectives from the Montgomery County Police Firearms Investigative Unit have charged a juvenile in connection with the illegal possession of firearms and chemicals commonly used in the manufacturing of explosives.
At approximately 4:30 p.m. today, a 17-year-old from Gaithersburg who had been developed as a potential accomplice, turned himself in to police at the 1st District station in Rockville. He was charged as a juvenile with theft, computer misuse, and conspiracy. The teen had served as a student intern with the Montgomery County Police 1st District Station from May 19, 2008, until he was developed as a suspect in this incident. Montgomery County Police stationery “letterhead” was found in both the residences of the 17-year-old and McKenzie-Gude. No weapons or explosive materials were found in the residence of the 17-year-old.
On Wednesday, July 30, Collin McKenzie-Gude, age 18, of the 6300 block of Rockhurst Road in Bethesda, turned himself in to police at the Montgomery County Police 1st District Station in Rockville. Montgomery County Police Firearms Unit detectives and Fire Department Fire and Explosives investigators served an arrest warrant charging him with five counts of possession of a regulated firearm or ammunition by a minor, possession of a destructive device, and possession of explosive material. (An individual must be 21 years of age to legally possess certain types of firearms in the state of Maryland.) He was later released after payment of $115,000 bond.
Yesterday, July 31, investigators from the Fire Department Fire and Explosives Investigative Unit placed additional charges against McKenzie-Gude. He was charged with five counts of manufacturing/possession/distribution/use of a destructive device. As Fire and Explosive personnel investigated, they learned that McKenzie-Gude and a 17-year-old male from Gaithersburg had constructed and detonated destructive devices in a field located near the 21500 block of Goshens Edge Court in Gaithersburg. Five devices were reconstructed at the scene by a Fire Department bomb technician. The recovered devices were identical in type and form to those seized in the search of McKenzie-Gude home.
After it was learned that the father of McKenzie-Gude had purchased the firearms found at their residence; Joseph Lane Gude, age 62, of the 6300 block of Rockhurst Road in Bethesda, was charged by District Court Summons with perjury, straw purchase of a firearm (a person purchasing a firearm for someone who can not legally possess it), and straw purchase to a minor prohibited of possessing a firearm
The motive for the possession of the firearms and chemicals remains under investigation. Through the course of the investigation it was learned that McKenzie-Gude was a 2008 graduate St. John’s College High School located at 2607 Military Road in NW Washington, D.C. It is still not known if the list of the home addresses of the faculty members at that private school, which was found at the McKenzie-Gude residence, had anything to do with the firearms and explosive materials. No other evidence has been recovered to connect that list to any specific action.
The investigation began after the Gaithersburg Police Department received a tip from a citizen. Detectives and Fire and Explosives investigators obtained a search warrant for a residence in the 6300 block of Rockhurst Road in Bethesda that might contain illegally possessed firearms. On July 29, at 12:30 p.m. the search warrant was served. Four illegally possessed assault rifles, two shotguns, one handgun, and ammunition were seized. In addition, chemicals and components commonly used to manufacture homemade explosives were also recovered.
McKenzie-Gude is now being held on $1,000,000 bond at the Montgomery County Detention Center. The juvenile has been released into the custody of his parents. Any and all further disposition of the 17-year-old will be handled by the Department of Juvenile Justice.
# # #Contact: Media Services Division Phone: 240.773.5030
Update 2: Patricia M. Murret and Bradford Pearson write, Bethesda teen jailed on explosives charges posts bond:
According to charging documents, officials found a H & K USP 9mm handgun, two AK-47 assault rifles, an LAR-15 assault rifle, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and two bulletproof vests during a search on Tuesday of Colin McKenzie-Gude’s home in Bethesda’s Ashburton neighborhood.
They also found PVC and threaded metal pipes like those used for pipe bombs, muriatic acid, hydrochloric acid and other assorted chemicals used for bomb making.
A homemade percussion grenade and plans for more explosive devices were also recovered, according to the court documents.
Update: Dan Morse has fleshed out his story in the Washington Post:
McKenzie-Gude’s grandfather, retired Army Col. Joseph L. Gude, 87, of Chevy Chase, said the teenager had been on the rifle team at St. John’s and had earned good grades. “I always thought he was very nice, very polite,” he said of his grandson, adding that he was “pretty enthusiastic about the rifle team.”
Col. Gude added that his son, Joseph, served in Vietnam, spent nine years in the Air Force and has worked for the Treasury Department.
Also, the Montgomery County Police have released a photo of Colin McKenzie-Gude, obtained here via Connected Communities; click on the thumbnail for a larger image.
From the County’s website:
7/30/2008
Update: Illegal Possession of Firearms and Explosives Suspect Turns Himself in to PoliceDetectives from the Montgomery County Police Firearms Investigative Unit and the Fire and Explosives Investigative Unit are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the illegal possession by an 18-year-old male of firearms and chemicals commonly used in the manufacturing of explosives.
This afternoon, Colin McKenzie-Gude, age 18, of the 6300 block of Rockhurst Road in Bethesda, turned himself in to police at the Montgomery County Police 1st District Station in Rockville. The arrest warrant will be served charging him with five counts of possession of a firearm or ammunition by a minor, possession of a destructive device, and possession of explosive material. (An individual must be 21 years of age to legally possess certain types of firearms in the state of Maryland.)
The motive for the possession of the firearms and chemicals remains under investigation. Through the course of the investigation it was learned that McKenzie-Gude was a 2008 graduate St. John’s College High School located at 2607 Military Road in NW Washington, D.C. For as yet unknown reasons, it was discovered that McKenzie-Gude was in the process of compiling a list of the addresses of the faculty members at that private school.
The investigation began after the Gaithersburg Police Department received a tip from a citizen. Detectives and fire marshals obtained a search warrant for a residence in the 6300 block of Rockhurst Road in Bethesda that might contain illegally possessed firearms. Yesterday afternoon at 12:30 p.m. the search warrant was served. Four illegally possessed assault rifles, two shotguns, one handgun, and ammunition were seized. In addition, chemicals and components commonly used to manufacture homemade explosives were also recovered.
# # #Contact: Media Services Division Phone: 240.773.5030
Also from the County’s website:
7/30/2008
Update: Father of 18-Year-Old ChargedDetectives from the Montgomery County Police Firearms Investigative Unit and the Fire and Explosives Investigative Unit continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the illegal possession by an 18-year-old male of firearms and chemicals commonly used in the manufacturing of explosives.
While investigating how the teen came to possess the firearms, it was learned that his father, Joseph Lane Gude, age 62, of the 6300 block of Rockhurst Road in Bethesda, had purchased the firearms for his son. He has been charged by District Court Summons with perjury, straw purchase of a firearm (a person purchasing a firearm for someone who can not legally possess it), and straw purchase to a minor prohibited of possessing a firearm
This afternoon, Colin McKenzie-Gude, age 18, of the 6300 block of Rockhurst Road in Bethesda, turned himself in to police at the Montgomery County Police 1st District Station in Rockville. The arrest warrant will be served charging him with five counts of possession of a firearm or ammunition by a minor, possession of a destructive device, and possession of explosive material. (An individual must be 21 years of age to legally possess certain types of firearms in the state of Maryland.)
The motive for the possession of the firearms and chemicals remains under investigation. Through the course of the investigation it was learned that McKenzie-Gude was a 2008 graduate St. John’s College High School located at 2607 Military Road in NW Washington, D.C. For as yet unknown reasons, it was discovered that McKenzie-Gude was in the process of compiling a list of the addresses of the faculty members at that private school.
The investigation began after the Gaithersburg Police Department received a tip from a citizen. Detectives and fire marshals obtained a search warrant for a residence in the 6300 block of Rockhurst Road in Bethesda that might contain illegally possessed firearms. Yesterday afternoon at 12:30 p.m. the search warrant was served. Four illegally possessed assault rifles, two shotguns, one handgun, and ammunition were seized. In addition, chemicals and components commonly used to manufacture homemade explosives were also recovered.
# # #Contact: Media Services Division Phone: 240.773.5030
Press reports:
- Patricia M. Murret and Bradford Pearson write in the Gazette, Teen turns himself in to police on weapons charges:
Colin McKenzie-Gude, of the 6300 block of Rockhurst Road in Bethesda, had been compiling a list of addresses of St. John’s faculty members, police said in a statement. They do not know the reason for the list.
The investigation continues, said Lucille Baur, a county police spokeswoman. Police have not yet determined whether other weapons or explosives could be ‘‘secreted” elsewhere.
During the investigation, police determined that McKenzie-Gude’s father, Joseph Lane by Gude, 62, of the same address had purchased the guns for his son. He has now been charged court summons with perjury, straw purchase of a firearm (purchasing a firearm for someone not legally allowed to own it) and straw purchase to a minor prohibited of possessing a firearm. He must appear in court to face the charges.
- Dan Morse writes in the Washington Post, Md. Teen Found With Guns Had List of Teachers: Police:
McKenzie-Gude turned himself in to police today at a Montgomery County police district station in Rockville, a day after the police search of his home in the 6300 block of Rockhurst Road in Bethesda.
Detectives and fire marshals found four illegally possessed assault rifles, two shotguns, one handgun, and ammunition, police said. They said they also found more than 50 pounds of chemicals and several gallons of liquids inside the Bethesda home where McKenzie-Gude lives, though they did not specify what these materials were. Police got a tip from a citizen that prompted them to search the house.
- WTOP reports, Dad, son charged after firearms found in home:
Police say Colin’s father, 62-year-old Joseph Lane Gude, bought the firearms for his son. Joseph Lane Gude is charged with perjury, straw purchase of a firearm (a person purchasing a firearm for someone who cannot legally possess it), and straw purchase to a minor prohibited of possessing a firearm.
It is illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to possess certain firearms in Maryland.
See this post for earlier details.