Man hospitalized in Lexington house explosion accused of illegally possessing guns
The man sent to a hospital in a recent Lexington house explosion has been accused of illegally possessing guns, according to court documents.
The explosion happened around 7:45 a.m. Sunday at a home in the 700 Block of Orlean Circle. Lexington police previously said one person was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said a suspect was in custody.
A criminal complaint filed Monday in Eastern Kentucky District Federal Court revealed the person taken to the hospital, Jonathan Huff, 37, was a resident of the home and present when the explosion occurred. Witnesses told investigators they saw Huff fleeing the home after hearing two explosions.
Witnesses also told investigators Huff exited the residence saying “I gotta go, I gotta go,” while carrying a black bag, according to the complaint. He left the area in a vehicle but later returned to the scene before going to a hospital with severe burns to his back and hands.
ATF special agents interviewed Huff at the hospital, and he admitted to possessing two guns. Investigators found one gun in a black bag in his vehicle, and another outside the bag, according to the complaint.
The guns were manufactured outside Kentucky.
Huff was previously convicted of possessing methamphetamine in Indiana, a felony offense, on November 22, 2021, according to the complaint. He was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison in that case.
Federal law prohibits anyone convicted of a felony that carries a prison sentence of at least one year from possessing a firearm, according to the complaint.
“The defendant in this investigation is federally prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior criminal conduct,” John Nokes, Special Agent in charge of the ATF’s Louisville Field Division, said in a news release. “The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) remain committed to prioritizing investigations that hold accountable individuals who pose a threat to public safety and the communities we serve.”
It is unclear what caused the explosion, or if officials believe it was intentional. The Lexington Police Department’s Hazardous Devices Unit responded to the scene along with arson investigators, the ATF and FBI.
The attorney’s office said officials are continuing to investigate the fire.
“It takes all of us to keep our communities safe,” Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers said in the news release. “I want to thank all of our federal, state, and local partners who worked with the Lexington Police Department to investigate the Orlean Circle explosion.”
Huff has been arrested and will appear in federal court Wednesday for his initial appearance, according to court documents.
“This case highlights how vital rapid intervention and coordination is when a threat to public safety emerges,” Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, said in a news release. “Thanks to the quick and coordinated efforts of our local and federal law enforcement partners, a dangerous situation was addressed, and a prohibited individual was taken into custody.”
