A couple living in the suburbs of Detroit has been accused of throwing an explosive device with a chilling two-word message into their neighbor’s yard, local prosecutors said.
Jason Showers, 45, and his wife, Megan Showers, 38, both of St. Clair Shores, Michigan, each face decades in prison if they are convicted of charges tied to the Monday incident, according to the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office.
Prosecutors said Megan Showers lit the explosive — described as a red, cylindrical device with the words “BYE BYE” on it — before Jason Showers tossed it into their 72-year-old neighbor’s yard.
The neighbor was able to extinguish the explosive, authorities said.
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Law enforcement officials later searched the Showers’ home, finding “firearms, ammunition, and materials for assembling explosive devices,” according to prosecutors.
“The allegations in this case are serious and especially troubling because they involve a senior member of our community. My office is committed to protecting public safety and prosecuting cases where individuals are accused of endangering others,” Macomb County prosecutor Peter Lucido said in a statement.
Jason and Megan Showers are charged with placing explosives near property and possessing bombs with unlawful intent, both felonies that each carry a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
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Jason Showers also faces charges of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition, each punishable by up to five years in prison.
On top of that, prosecutors charged him with two counts of felony firearm possession, with each count carrying a mandatory two-year sentence that must be served consecutively to the underlying felony if he is convicted.
Since Jason Showers is a habitual offender with at least four prior felony convictions, the judge will be able to impose a life sentence if he is convicted of any one of the four top charges, prosecutors said.
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The couple made their first appearance in court on Wednesday, public records show. Their first probable cause hearing is scheduled for Aug. 14.
The judge granted Jason Showers a $100,000 cash-only bond. However, records show that he is still behind bars at the Macomb County Jail.
If he posts bond, he would have to wear a steel cuff GPS tether, the judge ordered. He would also be prohibited from returning to his home or having any contact with his wife or the neighbor.
Megan Showers’ bond was set at $20,000, but the judge gave her the ability to pay 10% through a bail bondsman, prosecutors said.
The judge said she could return to her marital home, but she cannot have contact with her husband or the neighbor.
