South Carolina man sentenced after planting weapons of mass destruction in Anderson

GREENVILLE, S.C. (WOLO) – U.S. Attorney announced that a South Carolina man was sentenced in federal court for using, attempting to use and threatening to use weapons of mass destruction; possession and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime; and use of an explosive device during the commission of a felony.

Wesley Dallas Ayers, 27, of Anderson S.C. was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison without parole and 5 years of supervised released.

Ayers previously admitted that he constructed, and then placed, three explosive devices in various parts of Anderson County between January 24 to February 24 in 2018.

Ayers placed a device at the intersection of Travis and Martin roads in Anderson County, detonated and injured one individual.

The other two devices, which Ayers also placed in or near area roadways, were intercepted and rendered safe by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.

Ayers also place three hoax devices, which resembled explosive but did not contain any blasting agents. With some of those devices, Ayers left threatening messages that more, and more powerful devices were to come.

Ayers was arrested after an exhaustive investigation, with the combined efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives; Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, and numerous law enforcement agencies from around the State of South Carolina.  DNA and other forensic evidence associated Ayers with the various devices.

Additionally, a search of his property produced numerous items consistent with the manufacture of the same.

Judge Herlong found that the dangerous and lethal nature of the devices, weaponized with shrapnel, concealed in household items, and publicly placed in or near roadways justified the substantial sentence.

He emphasized the length of Ayers’ campaign against the citizens of Anderson County for more than a month’s time and that only by the efforts of law enforcement and sheer good fortune were more individuals not seriously harmed or killed.