Wanted on charges, man turns self in to police
WAYNESBURG – The search for a wanted Sycamore man charged on numerous counts after police allegedly found an explosive device and suspected marijuana on his property Jan. 16 ended Monday after the suspect surrendered to authorities. State police were searching for Kenneth P. Spriggs Sr., 46, after he was charged last week with felony counts of manufacturing or possessing a weapon of mass destruction and manufacturing a controlled substance; misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance and paraphernalia, possession of a prohibited offensive weapon and simple assault; and a summary charge of harassment.
The charges were filed before Magisterial District Judge Lee Watson and the warrant was then issued for Spriggs’ arrest. He turned himself in at the state police barracks in Waynesburg at 3:17 p.m. Monday without incident, according to reports,
State police trooper Timothy Gilbert, who assisted in the investigation of the Jan. 16 incident, said Spriggs reportedly told authorities that he was near San Diego, Calif., before turning himself in. Spriggs arrived at the state police barracks with his attorney, Gilbert said.
According to the criminal complaint, state police were assigned to investigate a reported domestic disturbance at Spriggs’ residence on Browns Creek Road in Washington Township shortly after 11 a.m. Jan. 16. Police interviewed Spriggs’ wife, Lavinia Spriggs, who told police that her husband came home and began to argue with Alan Berry, Sprigg’s son-in-law, also of Sycamore. She then reported that Spriggs assaulted Berry, and when she tried to intervene, he assaulted her as well, striking her in the face, the complaint alleges.
She then called 911 and her husband fled the scene, police said.
Police interviewed Berry, who told police he was aware that Kenneth Spriggs sold marijuana and showed officers a cooler inside the Spriggs’ garage, which contained what appeared to be marijuana seeds and processed marijuana, the complaint states.
Berry also retrieved from the cooler what appeared to be an improvised explosive device, which was made from a black PVC pipe roughly 3 inches round and 8 inches long, police said.
After learning of the explosive, members of the state police Bureau of Emergency and Special Operations, Hazardous Device and Explosives Section, were called to the scene.
Bomb technicians X-rayed the device and found it to contain black powder and a butane fuel canister, the complaint states. The device was deactivated without incident, police said.
During their investigation, authorities also found a suspected marijuana grow room, marijuana and drug paraphernalia, police said.
After surrendering to authorities, Spriggs was formally arraigned on the charges and placed in Greene County Jail on $50,000 straight bail. No charges were added, amended or withdrawn. His preliminary hearing has been scheduled before Watson at 3 p.m. Wednesday.