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Sacramento Man Arrested After C-4 Explosives Found In Garage

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - A Sacramento man was arrested after deputies found explosives in his garage, but his wife said the military veteran had no malicious intentions.

Marcus Kiplinger, 27, was arrested Sunday evening after deputies received a call about a family disturbance at a home on Bakula Way in the Arden Arcade area. The caller also claimed that Kiplinger had hidden explosive materials inside the home.

Marcus Kiplinger
Marcus Kiplinger

Deputies searched the home and found the C-4 in the garage along with items to detonate the explosive.

His wife defended her husband when contacted by CBS13's Derek Shore at her home on Monday.

"He is not a danger to anybody," she said. "He's not even a danger to a fly."

But through a screen door, Carla Kiplinger couldn't explain why her husband, a military veteran, was storing major military-grade explosives inside their garage.

"I don't know why it was there," she said. "He has no criminal record. He doesn't have a bad bone in his body."

Deputies say they received a call of a fight at the home Sunday night. At the same time the caller reported what turned out to be 6 pounds of C-4 bomb material.

Kiplinger's wife wouldn't say she made that call, but she did admit she wasn't comfortable with the contents in the garage.

"I wanted it out, that's partly what the argument was about," she said. "Because it's an explosive and it's not safe."

And deputies agreed, responding quickly, evacuating the neighborhood and spending hours removing the dangerous explosives.

"We don't know what this guy's intent was, why he had it," Deputy Jason Ramos said. "That part is still under investigation."

Deputies say Kiplinger also had other bomb-making material.

Kiplinger's wife said he was honorably discharged after four years in the Marines and had been seeking treatment for post traumatic stress.

"It's just hard times right now," she said. "He's, you know, had a hard time since he's been out of the military."

Kiplinger is being held in the Sacramento County Main Jail on charges of unlawful possession of a destructive device, possession of stolen property and weapons charges. He is being held on $500,000 bail.

His wife said she can't afford to bail him out but vowed to support him however she can.

"I'll stand by his side and do whatever it takes to get him home," she said. "He deserves to be home. He's not a criminal."

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