SHEBOYGAN, Wis. (WHBL) -- A Waldo man is facing numerous felony charges in connection with a February explosion at his home.
42-year-old Daniel Shilts Junior made his initial appearance today on 51 counts of possession of an improvised explosive device and a count of possession of explosive making materials.
Police were originally called to Shilts' home in Waldo after a report of an explosion on February 20th. Officers found him unharmed, and he allegedly told them at the time it was an accident with welding gas. Further investigation found explosive making materials in his home, which lead to an evacuation and the call for the outside federal agencies for help.
Information released in the criminal complaint shows that the first officers responding to the home smelled black powder and moved inside for a closer investigation. They say they spotted multiple devices inside that looked like fireworks mortars in Shilts' basement. Officers backed out of the home and called for backup.
The next day, the Milwaukee Bomb Squad and other agencies including the ATF arrived to inspect the site. Officials found 51 of those improvised fireworks inside the home. ATF Special Agent Jody Keeku says in the complaint that if all of the fireworks had gone off in the initial explosion, the blast would have destroyed Shilts' home and damaged or destroyed neighboring homes.
Shilts has a past with explosives with charges stemming from previous incidents. Shilts remains on parole from a 2008 conviction of possession of explosives, and he violated that sentence in 2012 when he was again found with explosives. That violation sent him to prison. Shilts is in custody on a probation hold. If convicted on of the current charges against him, he faces up to 300 years in prison.