Moses Lake police find explosives, marijuana

MOSES LAKE - Moses Lake police responded to a residence on West Peninsula Drive to issue misdemeanor warrants Thursday, ultimately finding homemade explosives and marijuana plants.

Officers arrested a 17-year-old juvenile male and Robert Balderaz, 27, of Moses Lake, on Grant County misdemeanor warrants, according to a report issued by Moses Lake Police Chief Dean Mitchell. While contacting the occupants, police reportedly could detect a strong odor of marijuana in the residence and obtained a search warrant.

Mitchell said officers located and seized two marijuana plants, small amounts of cultivated marijuana and drug paraphernalia from the residence. In addition, police found small homemade explosives, which Mitchell described as two 20-ounce plastic bottles wrapped in electrical tape with a cannon-style fuse containing gun powder, metal pellets and balls. Richland Police Department's Bomb Squad responded to the scene to assist in securing the explosives, the report said.

The juvenile and Balderaz were booked on the misdemeanor warrants. Additional charges will be filed regarding the drugs and explosives found in the residence, Mitchell said. He added that there was one other adult male in the residence who will likely be charged for the marijuana plants, although he was not arrested.