When a man was arrested Saturday in connection to suspicious incendiary devices that were discovered hanging from high power lines in Tyngsborough, Massachusetts, neighbors said it was not the first time federal investigators has been to his house.
A line of bureau vehicle brings back memories for residents of School Street in Chelmsford, where 61-year-old Danny Kelly was taken into custody.
Back in 2015, the government agency responded to the street - neighbors say Kelly was arrested then, too.
"It took a while for it to click that it's Mr. Kelly again and it's something that he got into," said neighbor Lynne Cole. "I just feel bad for the guy."
Kelly was arrested again early Saturday morning. He is accused of planting incendiary devices police say were "similar in structure to pipe bombs" near National Grid telephone wires in Tyngsborough.
Those devices were deemed to be safe.
"They were not explosive," FBI Agent Peter Kowenhoven said Thursday, explaining that the type of incendiary device causes "extreme heat and fire - it does not explode and go outward."
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A spark from one of the devices had started a brush fire, alerting police to their existence.
Agents combed through evidence at the home Saturday, while John Gianoulis watched in disbelief.
"You question when things like this happen," he said. "You've got to be alert and aware of things."
Back in 2005, Kelly pleaded guilty to extortion after authorities learned he had been cutting cable lines and writing to Verizon and Comcast, threatening to continue if they didn't pay him thousands of dollars every month.
He was sentenced to five years probation and ordered to seek mental help.
Cole told necn she lived across the street from Kelly for 18 years. Now seeing FBI agents outside the home twice, she's wondering what caused Kelly to commit the crime.
"I hope he can get some help," Cole said. "He doesn't appear to be a danger. I felt comfortable with him. He's very angry about something."
Kelly will be officially charged and brought into federal court on Monday. Right now, he's being held on probable cause.
