After a New Haven man was arrested for having hundreds of pounds of explosives throughout his house, police released documents detailing what exactly was found in the home.
Pasquale Criscio told police officers he is not a terrorist, claims he was doing nothing illegal and said he makes the fireworks every year to put on a show for the neighborhood.
On Wednesday, police responded to 35 Westminster St. at 5:52 p.m. on Wednesday to investigate a domestic dispute and a woman told the officers that she was at the house, trying to take her belongings, when she got into an altercation with her ex-husband, Criscio, because of the fireworks he had there, according to court documents.
When police entered the home, a 6-year-old child in the house presented a tube used to light off projectiles. The child was inside with two other juveniles, according to court records.
Police on the scene said they further pressed Criscio about explosives and the man opened the door to his basement. Officers said they noticed devices with a cylinder type shape, approximately 6 inches in diameter and 8 inches long, with what appeared to be a "tail", the officer's report said.
That's when police ordered everyone out of the house and sent pictures to the department.
Bomb Squad technicians and New Haven Police Hazardous Devices Units then responded to the home.
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Responding crews entered the home. According to court documents, they could see black explosive powder on the floors of the kitchen and living rooms, plus smell it in the air.
"There was commercially purchased black powder in the residence as well as evidence of the manufacturing of black powder and flash powder throughout the residence with the residence being grossly contaminated," the arrest warrant said.
Officers contacted Connecticut State Police and found out Criscio does not have an explosives or pyrotechnic license.
When officers walked down the hallway, in one bedroom, they saw several boxes of plastic containers that held explosive precursors powder in plain view. This substance is used to make improvised explosives, the documents said.
In the next bedroom, police saw several large PVC mortar tubes that are the type that could be used for firing aerial fireworks. There was also a box of improvised fuses and more containers of precursor powder, the documents explained.
The last bedroom had more boxes of precursor powder and several boxes of commercial grade fireworks. In plain view, officers also saw needles and vials along with numerous pill bottles that were opened, sitting on a dresser drawer, the arrest warrant said.
When officers walked to the basement, they located at the bottom of the stairs two large cardboard boxes with several improvised mortars inside, each being approximately 6 inches in diameter and eight inches long with a green fuse at the end.
Another person in the home was charged with beach of peace, third-degree strangulation and risk of injury after the domestic incident. Police have not publicly identified the person.
The children in the home have been placed with other family members.
