Copyright M Live Michigan
GRAND RAPIDS, MI – A man is accused of plotting to burn down two Grand Rapids businesses with jars of gasoline, or Molotov cocktails. James Steven Cleland was arrested for knowingly possessing destructive devices, a special agent for the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives wrote in a federal criminal complaint. A confidential informant last week told ATF special agent Kyle Rademacher that Cleland wanted to burn down a Grand Rapids towing company and business property of a second victim. The names of the alleged victims and their businesses were not contained in court records. The informant said that Cleland sought “Mason” jars to construct the Molotov cocktails and planned to set fire to the buildings between 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 16. The informant went to Cleland’s residence earlier that day and secretly recorded conversations. Cleland allegedly said, “’We got arson to go commit, get the … outta here,’” and “’Do you wanna go to the gas station down the road and watch fire truck go over there?’” the special agent wrote in the complaint. ATF agents set up surveillance at Cleland’s residence and saw him come out carrying empty glass jars. He put them on the hood of his vehicle before he and the informant brought the jars into his garage, the complaint said. Cleland also had a long, dark piece of cloth. The informant then put a red tool bag into the trunk of Cleland’s vehicle. Cleland drove off with the informant. The ATF contacted state police to make a traffic stop of Cleland’s vehicle. State police stopped the vehicle around 9:20 p.m. on northbound U.S. 131 near Hall Street. Police stopped Cleland for driving an unregistered vehicle. He gave troopers consent to search his vehicle. They found four glass jars with suspected gasoline inside with strips of cloth secured with elastic bands, the ATF said. Rademacher said the jars were intended to function similarly as a “homemade grenade. These devices are designed to be thrown and explode on impact.” Cleland allegedly told police he was going to a friend’s house to burn brush. He was arrested by state police. The jars contained gasoline and ethanol, the ATF said. The informant, who has a significant criminal record, cooperated with police seeking consideration from authorities regarding felony larceny and fraud charges, the ATF agent wrote. The informant had known Cleland for many years, the ATF said. He is charged with possession of an unregistered destructive device. He is jailed pending detention and preliminary hearings on Wednesday. The case is to be presented to a federal grand jury for potential indictment.
