The Associated Press
ELBERTON, Ga. (AP) - A Georgia man was charged Friday with unlawful possession of weapons after police found 600 hand grenades, ambush devices, booby traps and materials for explosives in his basement.
Greg Giannoni, 44, of Elberton, was in custody at the Elbert County Sheriff’s Detention Center Friday afternoon, reported The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in its Saturday edition.
The seizure from Giannoni’s basement included 25 pre-assembled black canvas bags, each holding two boxes with a complete kit for building six grenades.
Shrapnel material, food tablets, knives and twisted pieces of sharpened metal known as jack rocks which are used for puncturing rocks were also seized, said Jack Killorin, special agent in charge of the Atlanta Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms office.
It is not known what Giannoni intended to do with the materials.
About 15 to 20 ATF and Elbert County sheriff’s personnel served a search warrant at Giannoni’s home on Thursday.
They did not make an arrest then because officials needed to know what Giannoni had in order to charge him, said Lt. Chris Cornell with the Elbert County Sheriff’s Office.
In 1997, Giannoni was charged with making “terroristic threats” against a family member but the case was dismissed when it went to trial.