EASTHAMPTON — Police said nothing dangerous was found during a Sunday search of the home of the man accused of possessing and planting explosives in the city.
The search was part of a multi-agency investigation of the explosions by Lower Mill Pond on the night of the Super Bowl.
Bryan O. Desmarais, 41, of 36 Ridgewood Terrace, was arrested Feb. 16 and pleaded not guilty the following day in Northampton District Court on charges of possession of ammunition without a license, possession or control of an incendiary device, possession of explosives, and throwing, placing or exploding explosives.
Desmarais is being held without bail at Hampshire County Jail and House of Corrections until his next court date which is tentatively scheduled for Monday.
Last Thursday, Easthampton police, in cooperation with the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Massachusetts State Police, executed a search warrant at 142 Pleasant St., Suite 104A — Desmarais’ rented space and the office to Bustin’ Bass Baits, an online fishing equipment company. Police reported finding a large quantity of materials used to make explosives, manufactured explosives, ammunition and other illegal contraband.
As part of the investigation, the agencies also executed a search warrant Sunday evening at Desmarais’s home on Ridgewood Terrace, but nothing dangerous was found, according to officer Chad Alexander.
The homeowner, Carol Desmarais, declined to comment on the matter when reached Monday.
One neighbor a couple homes down said he wasn’t shocked by the charges brought on Desmarais. “Who knows what a neighbor’s like,” he said.
But some tenants at the Pleasant Street mill buildings have stated concern. “It’s alarming,” said Noah Modie co-owner of Oxbow Design at the Keystone Mill. “I’m curious to know what his motive is.”
James Witmer, the owner of the Brickyard mill building where Desmarais’s suite is located, said Desmarais has been a tenant for a few years, and up until now, has been “rent-paying and unremarkable.”
“There was nothing unusual or suspicious about his behavior,” Witmer said in an email. “These developments came up as a complete shock to say the least.”
Witmer said he is impressed with the resilience of his tenants as many of them were eager to get back to work the next morning. “We continue to offer our full cooperation to law enforcement and the authorities have assured us that the tenants and guest of our building are completely safe,” Witmer said.
Caitlin Ashworth can be reached at cashworth@gazettenet.com.