Federal agents accuse couple of plotting to bomb local offices

CLEVELAND (AP) -- Federal agents arrested a couple Sunday in what authorities said was a plot to use pipe bombs at the homes of a suburban mayor, police chief and the judge who was to sentence the man in a separate case.
Joseph Sands, 40, and Dawn Holin, 34, were being held in a local jail and were to be formally charged today with violating federal explosives laws in front of a U.S. magistrate in Cleveland, said Patrick J. Berarducci, a senior special agent with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Sands recently was convicted of local tax evasion in North Perry, about 35 miles northeast of Cleveland, and was to be sentenced April 20 by Painesville Municipal Judge Michael Cicconetti, Berarducci said.
Plot thwarted
Sands and Holin, who lived together in nearby Madison, had been planning to use pipe bombs against the judge, as well as North Perry Mayor Thomas Williams and North Perry Police Chief Denise Mercsack, the agent said.
"Obviously, there was some degree of anger with the city officials on the part of the suspects," Berarducci said. "We interrupted the plan before they were able to hurt anybody or carry it out."
Federal agents arrested Sands around 9:15 a.m. outside a gun shop in Ashland, where he bought a fuse -- the last component he needed for a pipe bomb, Berarducci said. Holin was arrested later in the morning at the couple's residence, he said.
Authorities searched the home and an auto repair shop operated by Sands -- J & amp;B Performance in North Perry -- and recovered numerous firearms, smokeless powder, pipe and end caps, Berarducci said.
Federal agents began investigating after the Madison Township Police Department received a tip, Berarducci said. He declined to elaborate.