CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - An Army Special Forces soldier has been arrested following the discovery of about 100 pounds of explosives at his home south of Clarksville.
Hunters found the C-4, a plastic explosive, in a field off Johnson Road between Ashland City Road and the Cumberland River Sunday.
The hunters discovered one of the explosives in a water-tight case partially buried, and they immediately called the Montgomery County Sheriff.
"When we get information from the community about items such as explosives that are out there, recovery and safety are the most prominent thing that we need to take care of immediately," said Eric Kehn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The property's owner, Timothy Richards, a soldier based at nearby Ft. Campbell, was taken to the Montgomery County jail and will be transferred to federal custody.
Investigators say there are two types of explosives, military and commercial, and the C-4 explosives are of military grade, not available to the public.
"Commercial explosives are used for blasting excavating and that type of thing, and obviously Military explosives are used for different operation and special purposes," said Kehn.
Less than a pound of C-4 has the potential to kill several people.
Nearly a dozen local and federal agencies were brought in to investigate, including the ATF, the Army Criminal Investigation Division, the FBI and the Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Military investigators are looking into how Richards obtained the material.
In the federal criminal complaint against the soldier, the ATF said he admits that he placed the explosives around his home.
The complaint also states police found several unregistered guns, including a machine gun, during a search of his home.
The FBI does not suspect Richards of any international or domestic terrorism but will continue to investigate why he was in possession of so much fire power.
Richards is charged with possession of unauthorized explosives and unregistered firearms.
