Onarga man sentenced for possessing a bomb

(WAND) - An Onarga man has been sentenced for possessing a bomb.

In April 2025, an Iroquois County Sheriff's detective encountered James R. Nelson, 30, during a routine traffic stop. The detective told Nelson he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest on an unrelated charge.

The detective told Nelson to get out of the vehicle. He refused, and the detective reached in to remove him. When he did, Nelson reached into the back, pulling out a gray, cylindrical item that he said was a bomb.

Nelson got out of the vehicle and took off running through a residential area with the bomb. He barricaded himself in his mother's house for eight hours. Law enforcement eventually forced their way in and found Nelson in the attic, along with the bomb, which was confirmed to be real and functional.

A federal grand jury returned a single-count indictment against Nelson in July 2025. He pleaded guilty in October 2025.

On Feb. 23, 2026, he was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of probation for possession of an unregistered destructive device.