By USA Daily Now 
MASON, Ohio – James River Phillips, a 20-year-old Mason resident, was arrested Thursday by the FBI Cincinnati Field Office’s Joint Terrorism Task Force for allegedly possessing a destructive device and an unregistered firearm. The arrest followed an investigation into an improvised explosive device (IED) discovered at a local soccer complex, which led to the uncovering of additional bomb-making materials.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force executed a federal court-ordered search in Mason, resulting in Phillips’ arrest. Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Cincinnati Field Office, emphasized the collaborative efforts of law enforcement partners to neutralize the threat before any risk to public safety could arise.
### Investigation Uncovers Bomb-Making Materials
According to an affidavit, a Lebanon police officer discovered an IED at a soccer complex in the early hours of September 22, 2024. The device, featuring wires connected to a control switch with a red light, was found where a silver SUV had been parked. The officer had earlier encountered two men in their early 20s leaving the complex in the SUV, with the driver described as having long curly hair. After the men departed, the officer located the IED and notified the Butler County Bomb Squad (BCBS). Subsequent analysis revealed the device contained nickel hydrazine nitrate and erythritol tetranitrate.
### Digital Evidence Ties Phillips to the Crime
Investigators traced Phillips’ phone to the parking lot using cellular data, which placed him at the scene between 12:15 a.m. and 12:21 a.m. on the night of the incident. Two text messages were sent from the phone shortly after the encounter with police. A December 2024 driver’s license photo reportedly matched the description of the curly-haired driver.
A search of Phillips’ Apple iCloud account uncovered alarming evidence, including videos of explosions and notes documenting bomb-making techniques. One video, dated April 5, 2024, showed two unidentified men testing an explosive device in the same soccer complex parking lot. Another video from July 21, 2024, depicted Phillips holding a detonation device as a car was destroyed in a controlled explosion. Investigators also found photos of Phillips constructing explosive devices in a shed on his property.
### Additional Details Emerge
Phillips allegedly purchased precursor chemicals for homemade explosives, which were shipped to his residences in Mason and Oxford. The iCloud account also contained recipes and detailed notes on constructing explosive devices.
Phillips is scheduled for a bond hearing on Friday and will remain in custody until then. The case underscores the FBI’s ongoing efforts to combat domestic threats and ensure public safety.
For more information:
[FBI Cincinnati Field Office](https://www.fbi.gov/field-offices/cincinnati)
[Butler County Bomb Squad](https://www.butlercountyohio.org/sheriff)
**Sources:**
– FBI Cincinnati Field Office
– Butler County Bomb Squad
– Federal Court Affidavit