MOAB, Utah, Aug. 7, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — Grand County Sheriff officials took a man into custody Sunday after he allegedly told a wedding planner he had planted bombs around the Moab venue and also was wearing an explosive device.
Arrest documents say that Connor Freeman Sprague, 30, first contacted someone at the Whispering Oaks Ranch at about 7 p.m. Saturday, while a wedding ceremony was underway.
“The subject made contact with the complainant, a wedding planner for the event, and stated that he had planted bombs in the area as well as a bomb that he was wearing,” Sprague’s probable cause statement says.
“The subject was asked to leave, and complied, but as the subject left the area they threw a small handheld radio or walkie talkie to the ground. Law enforcement responded to the area but was unable to locate the subject.”
The complainant called law enforcement again at about 12:30 a.m. Sunday and “reported that they recognized the subject and his vehicle driving through the area,” the affidavit continues. “Law enforcement responded to the area and located the subject approximately 2.5 miles away from the Whispering Oaks Ranch on the La Sal Loop Road, where the subject was stopped.”
Sprague was detained and “a vehicle search was conducted after marijuana products and paraphernalia were observed. The subject was also advised of his Miranda Rights and was questioned regarding the earlier incident.”
Post Miranda, Sprague reportedly said he had been at the Whispering Oaks Ranch multiple times during the last few days to take photographs and observe the area. He claimed he tried to alert the wedding planner to threats made by another person.
“The subject advised that on the evening of the 5th, he was contacted by a male while entering the property. The subject stated that this male advised him that he had planted bombs in the area and provided him with a small handheld radio. The subject then entered the Whispering Springs Ranch where he reported talking to a woman who he advised of the bomb threat made by the other male, the subject stated that the female seemed unphazed by the report and told him to drop the radio and leave.”
The vehicle search turned up weapons including nunchucks and a bow and arrow, along with ammunition, but no firearm, the statement says.
Also found were “two containers of Tannerite, a binary explosive, appearing to have already been mixed were located in the vehicle along with a small plastic bottle with a paper sticking out of the top, fashioned in a manner that was to appear like a Molotov cocktail.”
At about 2 a.m. Sunday, Sprague was arrested for investigation of:
- Two counts of possession, use of weapons of mass destruction, a first-degree felony
- Possession of hoax weapon of mass destruction, a second-degree felony
- Threat of terrorism, use of weapon/hoax mass destruction, a second-degree felony
- Two counts of unlawful possession/purchase/transaction dangerous weapon, a class A misdemeanor
- Possession of controlled substances schedule I/II/analog, a class A misdemeanor
- Marking of explosives container, a class B misdemeanor
- Possession of a controlled substance, marijuana/spice, a class B misdemeanor
- Use or possession of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor
Sprague was ordered held without bail at the Grand County jail.
