Movie Special Effects Coordinator Convicted of Illegally Possessing Explosives

Time Bomb Antique Weapon Explosive
Movie Special Effects Coordinator Convicted of Illegally Possessing Explosives, File image istock

SAVANNAH, GA – -(AmmoLand.com)- A California man is facing a substantial prison sentence after pleading guilty to illegally possessing explosive materials.

Robert Christopher Bailey, 50, of Los Angeles, pled guilty in U.S. District Court to Possession of Explosive Materials as a Prohibited Person, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

The charge carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison, followed by a period of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to evidence presented at the plea hearing, on or about July 9, 2018, Bailey was working on the movie set The Poison Rose starring John Travolta and Morgan Freeman as a special effects and pyrotechnics coordinator.



The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) conducted an investigation and determined Bailey was a person prohibited from possessing explosive materials.

“The state of Georgia, particularly Savannah, has a tremendous history and relationship with the motion picture industry,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Accordingly, we take very seriously our obligations to uphold the law and to preserve the safety of our citizens and those working in our state.”

This case was investigated by Special Agent Lee Hoover of the ATF, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Bearden and Frank Pennington.

Atlanta Field Division


Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ( ATF )Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

ATF is the federal law enforcement agency responsible for investigating violations of the federal firearms and explosives laws and regulations. More information about ATF and its programs can be found at www.atf.gov.

29 Comments
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Deplorable Bill

How many times must a man buy the same car he paid off years ago? I have no idea what the guy originally did but after he did his time or probation as far as I am concerned he is free and clear of his debit to society. The A T F E and their lawyers are famous for making second class citizens. I may be a bit jaded but I still remember Randy Weaver on Ruby Ridge and I can still see the building burning and the fireball that killed 30+ children. ALL of this because an atfe agent… Read more »

coyotejoe

I agree with your sentiments Deplorable Bill, but you got your facts wrong. Although the ATF got the ball rolling, it was U.S.Marshals who started the gun fight at Ruby Ridge and an FBI sniper who shot Vicky Weaver. At Waco the first round fired hit David Koresh as he was standing in the door way holding the door open. I saw it as did tens of thousands on that first news crew footage which was shown only once before the FBI confiscated and “lost” it. Since then several so-called documentaries have told us we didn’t see what we saw.

Vanns40

I have NEVER quoted, at length, from any source, but feel it’s necessary here to understand what happened, in the legal sense. Lon Horiuchi should have, in my opinion, stood trial for manslaughter. Here goes: “Following the conclusion of the trial of Randy Weaver and Kevin Harris in 1993, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) created a “Ruby Ridge Task Force” to investigate allegations made by Weaver’s defense attorney Gerry Spence. On June 10, 1994, the Task Force delivered its 542-page report to the DOJ Office of Professional Responsibility. The Report stated: “With regard to the two shots fired on… Read more »

RoyD

I was working evening watch the day the ATF attacked at Waco. I too saw the unedited video and also the statements by the female ATF spokesperson that first day. Those were never seen or heard again following that day. I also got to watch much of what was shown on TV during the day in the ensuing weeks. It was an illegal shit show from beginning to end.

Laddyboy

Can you guess who was the Boss at the DOinJ back then? He now is working under President Trump.

Deplorable Bill

It has been some years but, one of the survivors at Waco actually said the first round fired was from the atfe and it killed a 4 year old kid. Koresh was hit in the upper gut, left side, at least once. Did that bullet also kill the kid? Why would the atfe shoot someone holding a door open? At best, it’s attempted murder. What of the innocent people in there who had done nothing wrong? Some men, but mostly women and children, a lot of them infant/toddler sized. There can be no excuse for killing them. The atfe had… Read more »

jack mac

I submit to use sub-citizen, instead of second class citizen. Prohibited persons are a legally designated underclass. The first since the close of the civil war of the 1860s. The difference is now the underclass is of free citizens. It includes more than those convicted of felonies. Our nation should never have allowed any free citizen to be denied rights. This underclass is being enlarged by a wider pretense of causes for citizens to be degrade into it. The mere association with the prohibited class can provide cause for other free citizens to be so degraded. In this case all… Read more »

nrringlee

And where is the intent to do harm? These guys were making a movie. Once again we use a Catch 22 to nail someone who has no intent to do harm in the first place. Meanwhile the US Justice Department under Holder and Lynch refused to prosecute felons in possession of firearms because those consequences fell disproportionately on urban blacks. Now, if they had shot this film in Kalifornia there would be no worries. We all know the law does not apply to Hollywood.

TexDad

Exactly. Thanks ATF for ruining a man’s life and protecting no one on a stupid gotchya.

Show us he was dangerous and prove us wrong.

JebWorf

Yep, with todays technology once convicted of a crime even if not violent follows you to the grave and beyond. No moving to another town, state, or country to start over again. That conviction follows you like a spectre. Was it a felony; forget ever owning guns “legally”. No way to get that right back, especially if it was a Federal conviction. You need a presidential pardon. I feel bad for this gentleman. Arrested and convicted of forgery in California (non-violent crime). The media doesn’t say when this happened. He paid his dues, but had to lie when applying for… Read more »

Mike L

It sure sounds like he was arrested for doing his job…

Tionico

doesn’t say a thing about WHY he was in the class of persons “prohibited” from handingl explosives. Did this “prohibitioin” metarially affect the safety of those on the set exposed to the dangerous materials? These days there are FAR TOO MANY things wrongly called “felony” crimes, and thus disqualifying one from the use of arms and explosives. In my county it is a felony to shoot a cat… even a nuisance feral cat. Traps don’t work, animal control are too lazy and ignorant, what else is a guy supposed to do when a dozen of those miserable beasts infest his… Read more »

zed

The ATF says he’s “prohibited”. If they say so, it must be true. Plebes like us should be kept in our places and learn not to question our “BETTERS”.

But, srsly, that was the first thing I looked for the the above scare-aganda (propaganda meant only to instill fear in the Ministry of Truth, Wilson) piece. I think it’s very similar to how the IRS busts somebody in each state each tax season to scare the rest of the riff-raff into compliance.

Ryben Flynn

Past tense of “plead guilty” is “pleaded guilty” NOT “pled guilty”.
“And while pled may be the preferred usage, Grammarist notes that pleaded is the standard form: Pleaded is the standard past-tense and past-participial form of the verb plea. Pled has always been considered incorrect by usage authorities”.
Nitpicking, I know, but it annoys me no end when bad grammar is used.

Dave in Fairfax

RF, yes and no. Pleaded is the current term, when I was younger it was pled. Languages change over time This is a good example. It still bothers me to hear pleaded unless it is used “with”. As in, he pleaded with her, or he pled guilty.

Ansel Hazen

That’s how I learned English too. I hate “pleaded”. Would anyone say “He speeded up the car?”

Dave in Fairfax

AH, SURE, All the people who are orientated.

OldJarhead03

Working at a highly paid job that just happens to involve blowing things up. I suppose he could have been arrested for possession of a gas can too? I’m sure society would be much safer if he was on welfare, huh?

Wild Bill

The press should not be using ATF agents’ names in open print. They have been telling their families that they were dope peddlers and male whores … to maintain some dignity.

Neanderthal75

ATF are low life scum, so I have no problem with any information about them coming into public venue.

RoyD

Yes they are. I have nothing for them; any of them.

RoyD

An old oilfield saying, “Don’t tell my family I’m in the oilfield, they think I’m a piano player in a whorehouse.”

Ansel Hazen

Ok that’s funny. 🙂

Wild Bill

@Jacob, You shoot too fast. Maybe you should read the joke again.

Rock

What EXACTLY was the reason for his being prohibited ? Is he a felon, is he loony, did he spit on a sidewalk, or is it that the neighbor doesn’t like him ?????

Patriot-556

Was just about to post the exact same thing. Then i saw yours…

Amen, brother. F*#! BATFE

OneEyeOpen

Politicians and Law Enforcement work hand in hand to make every US citizen a criminal. No matter what crime it may be. This is so, when they need to use their trump card against you, it is already in place. This is why we have a very high-level of surveillance. Out on the streets, in buildings, on your computers, cell phones and the internet. Just follow the court records of terrorists arrested by the FBI, who setup the plots, provided faux weapons and planted their CI’s as informants. The American people need to take heed and prepare for the inevitable.… Read more »

AZ Lefty

Idiot did it to himself
But you fills who hate ht e rule of law keep sticking up for these losers

https://www.ajc.com/news/felon-put-charge-explosives-savannah-movie-set-faces-prison/pN3SyGrDzFF0pvPG85vPeJ/

Hankus

Cool story bro.