Ex-Army ranger found with firearms cache

A former Army ranger has been arrested after a cache of firearms, explosive devices, bogus identification cards, and badges was discovered in his Brewerytown home, Philadelphia police said yesterday.

Andre Brown, 39, was charged with aggravated assault and other offenses after police were called to his home in the 3000 block of Oxford Street shortly after 4 p.m. Sunday by a woman who alleged that Brown, her boyfriend, had pointed a shotgun at her head, police said.

Officers Anthony Ricci and William Forbes of the 23d District entered the house to help the woman remove clothing and discovered six firearms, explosive devices that appeared to be military detonators, and a collection of photo IDs, police said.

Brown allegedly fired a gun at the woman last week and did not report the incident to police, said Capt. Daniel Castro. Police found evidence of the fired shot in the house.

Police also found several gun silencers, a bullet-proof vest, an ID card machine, and IDs for the military, press and college with his photo and different names, Castro said.

Brown also had a U.S. marshal's badge, a U.S. General Services Administration ID, a bounty hunter ID, a Homeland Security jacket, and "a cookbook for making bombs," Castro said.

Brown also possessed an antidote for nerve gas, Castro said.

The department's bomb squad recovered the explosive devices, and the FBI and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were called in to investigate.

"If he had an opportunity to start a war, he certainly could have had one," Castro said.

A check of Philadelphia court records indicated Brown has no criminal background.