Sacramento Man's Arrest May Have Led to Chamberlain Explosives Case: Affidavit

A two-month federal investigation that seized weapons, computers and samples of deadly chemicals at a Sacramento home may have led investigators to Ryan Chamberlain, a San Francisco public relations expert charged with possessing explosives.

James Malcolm plead not guilty in federal court Thursday afternoon to explosives and firearms charges stemming from the investigation and search of his home.

The search warrant affidavit in the Chamberlain case states the online vendor who sold him a deadly toxin called abrin was a Sacramento man arrested by the FBI on May 5. Malcolm, 29, was taken into custody on the same day.

According to the affidavit, the man admitted sending Chamberlain a package of the toxin from a Vacaville UPS store and recalled Chamberlain "stating that the initial purchase of abrin would be a trial run and if it was successful, (he) would use the abrin on a larger scale."

A federal prosecutor on Thursday would not confirm the connection, but said Malcolm has indicated firearms was not all he dealt in.

View more in Jodi Hernandez's video report above.

Contact Us