ABQ Times

A Las Cruces man has been sentenced to 52 months in prison following his conviction for possessing a pipe bomb and ammunition near a church playground.

According to court documents, on May 31, 2023, Nathan Wallace, 41, was observed in the children’s playground of East Mesa Baptist Church. Wallace was arrested by the Doña Ana County Sheriff's Department after being found in possession of a destructive device and ammunition. Upon questioning, he admitted to possessing a metal pipe containing gunpowder, which was later confirmed to be an operational pipe bomb.

The device was seized by law enforcement and analyzed by a bomb technician, who discovered a fuse inside. Additionally, a search of Wallace's belongings revealed a 20-gauge Winchester AA High Strength shotgun shell, a motion sensor, two cell phones, and various modified batteries and wires, indicating potential explosive device components.

Wallace is prohibited by federal law from handling or possessing firearms or ammunition due to his previous felony convictions, which include multiple counts of forgery and possession of explosive devices.

In his plea agreement, Wallace admitted to knowingly possessing ammunition after being convicted of multiple felonies punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year.

Upon his release from prison, Wallace will be subject to three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Ry Ellison and Christopher McNair prosecuted the case.