A LaPorte man is facing federal charges after he was allegedly found making and owning child pornography, along with having an explosive device.
U.S. Attorney Thomas Kirsch announced charges in a press conference Monday against 45-year-old Eric Weiler. He’s charged with two counts of production of child pornography, 1 count of receipt of child pornography, 1 count of possession of child pornography, 1 count of making a destructive device in violation of the National Firearms Act, and 1 count of possession of unregistered destructive devices.
Court documents say that Weiler ran wires into the gas tank of a neighbor’s car in late August 2017. Next month, Weiler then allegedly was found accessing a vacant house next to the person whose car had been wired to explode.
On that September day, investigators went to the vacant house and say they discovered writings on the walls of Weiler’s alleged attempts to “acquire a girl under the age of twelve, ideally a newborn baby” for illicit acts.
Two days later, on September 20, officers went to Weiler’s house and said they found an improvised explosive device (IED) and a CO2, or “cricket”, bomb. The day after that, officers allegedly found electronic devices containing over 24,000 images and 80 videos of child pornography.
In those videos, he also allegedly explains the explosive device he put in the gas tank of his neighbor’s vehicle.
U.S. Attorney Kirsch said, “Crimes committed against children are particularly heinous. Children are among the most innocent victims. Additionally, this investigation was conducted very quickly, within two days of learning of Mr. Weiler’s conduct, he was taken into custody by the LaPorte City Police. That is very quick work by both the LaPorte Police and LaPorte County Prosecutor’s Office. Explosives, like those allegedly manufactured and possessed by Mr. Weiler, are extremely dangerous and meant to do considerable harm.”
