Moses Lake Man Indicted for Explosive Devices

A Moses Lake man was indicted Tuesday by the U.S. Attorney's Office for Eastern Washington after being found in possession of improvised explosive devices.

According to the Attorney's Office, 32-year-old Timothy Richard Ray Riggins of Moses Lake is accused of committing several crimes in the early morning hours of November 3, 2019. The Moses Lake Police Department (MLPD) received a call from a woman claiming that Riggins had just assaulted her, stolen her vehicle, and was in possession of what she called a bomb. The reporting party claimed the bomb was in a fanny pack.

Riggins, who was familiar to MLPD, had an active felony warrant for his arrest from the Washington State Department of Corrections. He was also, allegedly, a documented Norteno criminal street gang member.

Eventually the woman's vehicle was located and Riggins was tracked to a nearby residence. After executing a search warrant, police reportedly found Riggins in the residence hiding inside a top-loading washing machine.

Upon further investigation into Riggins' path of travel, police found a fanny pack that contained an "operable improvised destructive device" according to the Attorney's Office. The device was described as a large commercial firework with nails taped to the outside and a large fuse. Two more similar devices were found near the fanny pack.

Riggins was then indicted in connection with possession of an unregistered firearm/destructive device. The offense carries a potential penalty of up to ten years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

The case is being investigated by the Spokane Resident Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and charges may be amended.