Man gets three years for porch explosion

St. Joseph News-Press (MO)

Sept. 12--A 20-year-old who admitted he used illegal explosives to blow up the front porch and door of a house on Memorial Day learned Monday he was not granted probation and must serve time in prison.

Edward Catron, 20, entered a guilty plea in July to the felony charge of knowingly exploding a device. Catron previously admitted he'd been drinking and said the bomb was a prank that got out of hand. He claimed he didn't expect the amount of damage that was caused. Attorneys said the number of homemade explosives used was equivalent to a half stick or a whole stick of dynamite.

After listening to a prosecution argument about charging a lesser felony and an hour of argument about supervised probation, Circuit Judge Patrick Robb said, "the evidence is clear you had no intention to cause harm, however, you did cause harm."

Because of the seriousness of the crime "there will be no probation," Robb said and proceeded to sentence Catron to three years in prison with $8,322.23 restitution once he's on parole. That dollar amount is the part insurance didn't pay in repairs to the home.

The Memorial Day explosion, which caused some $27,000 in damages at a Northeast Parkway residence, blew the front door into the house, sending shrapnel back into the kitchen and tearing up the front porch. Glass fragments were found embedded in trees some 40 to 60 feet from the house.

Defense Attorney Andrew Parmenter spent about an hour in court Monday arguing for probation in the case. He focused on the many problems including mental health issues due to a high school fall. Parmenter argued for probation as a way to find and treat the many issues Catron faces rather than having him back on the street without any treatment or tight supervision.

In the cross examination of a substance abuse counselor, Dwight Scoggins, the Buchanan County prosecutor, reminded the court the defendant has had chronic drug abuse issues since he was 13, is in a constant state of emotional aggression, experiences a loss of hope, may have an emotional detachment disorder, experiences impulse control issues and had violated bond conditions when he tested positive on Sept. 9 for marijuana use.

While no one was specific about the cause the prosecution, the defense and the judge alluded to an incident several weeks before a drunken Catron used the bomb.

In an apology to the victims, Catron left out any regret regarding a father of one of the victims.

A court marshal took Catron into immediate custody for transfer to the Buchanan County Jail until arrangements can be made to transport him to the Western Reception, Diagnostic, Correctional Center on Faraon Street.

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