PRINCETON, MA — A 27-year-old man was arrested Thursday after police found nine explosive devices in his vehicle during a traffic stop.
Jason E. Baldarelli Jr., of Princeton, was taken into custody at approximately 7 a.m. on Hubbardston Road and charged with unlawful possession of explosive devices.
The arrest followed an investigation that began Monday at approximately 4 a.m. when Princeton Police Officer Douglas Costa responded to Wheeler Road for a report of explosions.
Officer Costa identified Baldarelli as a suspect with the assistance of a witness and worked with the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office to obtain a search warrant.
Princeton Police Officer Dominic Esposito conducted the traffic stop Thursday morning, where officers located the explosive devices inside Baldarelli’s truck.
The investigation involved coordination between the Princeton Police Department, the Massachusetts Fire Marshal’s Office, the Massachusetts Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad and the Sterling Police Department.
Baldarelli was arraigned Thursday morning in Leominster District Court.
A search of Baldarelli’s Wheeler Road residence was underway Thursday.
The Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad was scheduled to conduct a controlled detonation of the recovered explosive devices in Princeton.
