Bomb-making materials, live device found in Satellite Beach home

SATELLITE BEACH, Fla. — A Satellite Beach man who was arrested on charges of allegedly having bomb-making materials in his car Monday posted bond and walked out of jail Tuesday.

Investigators obtained a search warrant to get inside Joseph Patrick Long's home on Norwood Court, where they believed the bomb-making materials were stashed.

Materials that could be used to make pipe bombs were found in Long's bedroom and garage, according to police. They said they also found a live device in the house.

"They're small-type experimental things that could cause very serious injury if you're in very close proximity to it," said Satellite Beach Police Chief Jeff Pearson.

Police said Long lives with his parents, but they don't believe the parents knew about the materials or the device.

Police said the area is safe and that all of the materials have been removed from the house.

On Monday, police said they received a call that a man was asleep in his truck in an Indian Harbor ballpark that was closed.

When police arrived, they said they talked to Long, 30, and asked if he had weapons. Investigators said he showed police a gun, and the officer saw a pipe bomb on the front seat.

But that wasn't all.

"Also in the vehicle was a second device that had been detonated previously," said Cmdr. Mark Rowley of the Indian Harbor Police Department.

Long said he found the items days ago, but the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI and local agencies said they didn't want to take any chances and began the process of obtaining the warrant to search his home.

"We want to take and search the home to see if there are any additional items that could be (a danger to) public safety," said Rowley.

The bomb squad said that first device police spotted on the seat wouldn't have worked, but that Long had all the materials needed to make a pipe bomb.

A neighbor, who did not want to be identified, said she was shocked.

"They're just a very nice, good family," the neighbor said.

"It would really be complete speculation as to what his motive (was) or what he was thinking in his head," Pearson said.

Long was released from the Brevard County Jail Tuesday on a $5,500 bond.

WFTV