Police seize military-issue explosives in Scott City trailer

The police chief said the military should be able to track down where the items came from.

When members of the Scott County Sheriff's Department and the Scott City Police Department served a search warrant Thursday night in Scott City, they got a surprise.

The officers were looking for drugs, which they said they found, but they also found something else -- military-issue explosive devices packed in a black case bearing the logo of Stage One hair school.

"We weren't expecting to find that at all at this residence," said Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter.

The warrant was served in Scott City's Abbot Trailer Court, Lot 33. Arrested were Randy Shawn Whitworth, 31, and Gina Louise Walker, 33.

Walker said there was no indication the search would be an especially dangerous one before the warrant was served, and there was no violence.

Scott City police chief Don Cobb said the warrant was part of a drug investigation but wouldn't comment on the details.

Police said they found small amounts of methamphetamine and marijuana along with drug paraphernalia. As the search continued, police found six simulators, which are small explosives used to mimic the sound of artillery during training exercises, a large military version of a flare and three smoke grenades.

Cobb, who has a military background, said such devices are illegal to possess outside the military.

"These shouldn't have been outside Army or Marine Corps hands," Cobb said.

Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms looked at the ordnance and called in a team from Fort Leonard Wood to take away the items. The military should be able to track down where the explosives came from, he said.Cobb said he's not sure how the couple got their hands on such explosives, or what they were planning to do with them. However, he did say he was glad to have such dangerous items out of the community.

"That's the thing about search warrants," Cobb said. "You never know what you're going to find that isn't on the warrant."

Whitworth and Walker are each being charged with felony possession of a controlled substance for the methamphetamine, misdemeanor possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, also a misdemeanor.

Weapons charges have not yet been filed.

The two posted a $25,000 bond Friday night.

No court dates have been set.

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