Passenger Arrested With Explosive, Knife And Zip Ties At NorCal Airport: DOJ

Prosecutors say the man had five cellphones; one of which had a 15-minute timer, explosives and cryptic text message.

By Fernando Haro, Patch Staff

Jun 3, 2026 12:51 pm PDT | Updated Jun 3, 2026 1:52 pm PDT

Kimani Osayande Jones was found with an explosive, a torch lighter capable of lighting the explosive, as well as a knife, scissors and scissor blades, an aerosol can and zip ties, prosecutors said. (U.S. Department of Justice)

SACRAMENTO, CA — A Northern California man was arrested for bringing explosives to Sacramento International Airport with the intention of taking them aboard a plane, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Authorities didn't say what Kimani Osayande Jones, 49, of Sacramento, planned to do with the explosives found among his belongings Saturday night at the airport.

Jones entered Sacramento International Airport around 9 p.m. Saturday wearing a face-covering scarf, latex gloves and carrying a bag, federal prosecutors said. The Department of Justice hinted that Jones may have been planning to set off the explosives in the air, saying the devices he's accused of carrying were viable and had enough power to potentially damage an aircraft and cause a possible loss of cabin pressure.

He tried going through TSA when agents found he had an M-type explosive device and a torch lighter capable of lighting the explosive, as well as a knife, scissors and scissor blades, an aerosol can and zip ties, prosecutors said.

Kimani Osayande Jones was found with a torch lighter capable of lighting the explosive, as well as a knife, scissors and scissor blades, an aerosol can and zip ties, prosecutors said (U.S. Department of Justice).

Prosecutors say the 49-year-old also had five cellphones; one of which had a 15-minute timer, explosives and cryptic text from an unknown number telling him that they would be awaiting his call.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Jones told officers he didn't know the items were in his bag and would be fine if they threw them out. He then invoked his Miranda rights and refused to be interviewed, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Jones was taken into custody, and the explosive devices were removed by Sacramento County Sheriff Bomb Technicians and an FBI Special Agent Bomb Technician, prosecutors said.

On Tuesday, prosecutors announced they had charged Jones with unlawfully possessing explosive material at an airport, prosecutors announced Tuesday.

If convicted of the charges against him, Jones faces a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

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