Chesco man admits to building 95 bombs

A former Coatesville man today pleaded guilty in manufacturing dozens of bombs and concealing the evidence after learning he was the subject of a federal investigation.

Ryan Joseph Hribick, 34, built and sold 95 improvised explosive devices constructed of PVC or cardboard tubes, according to prosecutors. Inside the tubes, he packed flash powder and shrapnel.

Hribick sold many of the IEDs to Istvan Merchenthaler, who was at the center of an FBI investigation into a multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme. The remaining bombs, built between March 2009 and February 2013, were cached either at a friend's house or in a public storage facility in Frazer, according to court documents.

In March 2013, the FBI's probe into Merchenthaler led them to Hribick. Agents searched Hribick's Coatesville home but found no explosives. In an interview with FBI agents, Hribick denied he had ever seen, made or sold IEDs. Hribick, who learned he was the subject of a grand jury investigation, then called friends and instructed them to destroy or conceal the bombs to keep that evidence hidden. In addition, he told his friends to lie to investigators if they questioned them about the devices, said federal prosecutors.

Hribick, whose last address was in Minersville, pleaded guilty today to possession of unregistered firearms, manufacturing and dealing explosive materials, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and witness tampering. When he is sentenced on July 17, Hribick faces a up to 60 years in prison, a $1 million fine, and three years of supervised release.

This story has been updated.