Tuesday, 12 June 2012 13:35

Bridge Bomb Five Remain Behind Bars Featured

Written by  Edward L. Esposito
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No bond for the five men charged with plotting to blow up the Route 82 bridge spanning the Cuyahoga River between Brecksville and Sagamore Hills Township.

Federal judge David Dowd rejected bids from the five seeking release on bond pending their trials, saying they all posed a flight risk. The quintet are scheduled to go on trial in mid-September.

The five were arrested in late April after what the FBI detailed was a conspiracy to plant plastic explosives at the base of the bridge, leading to efforts to trigger the blasts using a cellular telephone as a remote detonator. The explosives turned out to the bogus, provided by a federal undercover agent.

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(AP) AKRON, Ohio - A federal judge in Akron says five men charged with plotting to bomb a highway bridge must remain locked up pending trial.

The Akron-based judge ruled Tuesday against the suspects' bond request.

The judge says Doug Wright, Josh Stafford, Tony Hayne, Connor Stevens and Brandon Baxter must remain locked up to keep them from fleeing and to protect the public.

The men were arrested in late April when they allegedly tried to detonate what turned out to be a dud bomb provided by an FBI undercover informant.

The defendants have pleaded not guilty. One defense attorney called it a case of entrapment, with the informant guiding the way.

They could face life in prison if convicted of trying to bomb the bridge over the Cuyahoga Valley National Park south of Cleveland.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. 

Edward L. Esposito

Edward L. Esposito

Edward "Ed" Esposito is vice-president, information media for the Rubber City Radio Group. He oversees news and public affairs programs for www.AkronNewsNow.com, 1590 WAKR, 97.5 WONE and 94.9 WQMX. He is Secretary-Treasurer of the Radio Television Digital News Foundation; a former chair of the Radio Television Digital News Association and Foundation and a former president of the Ohio Associated Press Broadcasters Association. He's also served as a member of the Akron Press Club , Kent State University Student Media Advisory Board, Ohio Open Government Coalition, Northeast Ohio AMBER Task Force. He's lectured on broadcasting and journalism for the University of Missouri in China, as well as across the country for RTDNA and RTDNF. You can reach Ed through the newsroom at 330-864-6397 or by email eesposito@rcrg.net

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