TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - A southern Arizona man has been sentenced to six years in federal prison for planting an explosive device that went off in 2017 and injured someone.
Prosecutors say 64-year-old Constantino Varela of Amado Varela pleaded guilty last August to unlawful possession of an unregistered destructive device and possession of firearms by a convicted felon.
Varela suspected vandals were breaking into a building on the property where he lived, so he built and planted an explosive device in the structure.
The explosive device contained metal balls and nails as added fragmentation.
It was connected to a pressure-activated switch mounted on the floor close to the building's entrance.
An associate of Varela entered the building in September 2017, stepped on the pressure-activated switch.
The device exploded and sprayed the victim with shrapnel.
