SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – Deputies in Seminole County arrested a man on multiple felony counts concerning alleged possession and manufacture of explosives.
40-year-old Mark Severson is currently being held at the jail without bond on numerous offenses including possessing a destructive device and drug charges.
The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office said investigators initially went to his home on Alena Court to search for narcotics Thursday. Once inside the home, deputies found homemade explosives.
An arrest affidavit for Severson says investigators found numerous chemical powders throughout the house. On the back porch, they discovered a white crystalline powder that tested positive for triacetone triperoxide (TATP). The affidavit says approximately half a pound of TATP was found, adding it cannot be purchased and must be manufactured through clandestine means.
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Investigators say Severson admitted to making pyrotechnics at home in a post-Miranda interview. They also spoke to his parents who reportedly told law enforcement he typically works in the garage or on the porch when working on his fireworks.
Deputies decided to detonate the materials on site Friday morning because of their volatility. Five homes in the area were evacuated as a precaution and a reverse 911 was sent to neighboring homes as well.
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