Man arrested after claiming bombs were planted near wedding ceremony

MOAB, Utah — A man who claimed bombs had been planted at a vacation rental property in Grand County where weddings are held was arrested over the weekend after investigators say they found explosive materials in his car.

Connor Freeman Sprague, 30, was arrested Sunday for investigation of three counts of possession of a weapon of mass destruction, making a threat of terrorism, two counts of unlawful possession of a dangerous weapon, drug possession, marijuana possession, possession of drug paraphernalia and an explosives-related charge.

The string of events began Saturday around 7 p.m. during a wedding ceremony at the Whispering Oaks Ranch when Sprague allegedly approached one of the wedding planners at the event “and stated that he had planted bombs in the area as well as a bomb that he was wearing,” a police booking affidavit states.

Sprague was asked to leave and Grand County sheriff’s deputies were called but were unable to locate him. He was spotted again, however, around 12:30 a.m. Sunday and deputies returned to the area. This time, Sprague was stopped about 2½ miles from the ranch on the La Sal Mountain Loop Road.

He allegedly told investigators he had been at Whispering Oaks several times over the previous few days to take pictures, the affidavit states. Sprague also claimed he was approached by someone who claimed to have placed bombs in the area and he was simply trying to report the incident to staff members, according to the affidavit.

But when deputies searched Sprague’s car, they found cocaine and marijuana, as well as “multiple dangerous weapons including a set of nunchucks and a bow with arrows were located inside the vehicle. Firearm ammunition was located inside of the vehicle, but no firearm was located. Finally, two containers of Tannerite, a binary explosive, appearing to have already been mixed, were located in the vehicle along with a small plastic bottle with a paper sticking out of the top, fashioned in a manner that was to appear like a Molotov Cocktail,” the affidavit states.

Several handheld radios were also located, the affidavit states. Sprague was arrested at the conclusion of the traffic stop.