Man from Georgia sentenced for illegal possession of destructive device found in Hope Hull

Waylon Blake Gilreath, Sr. of Williamson, GA, who was convicted for possessing a destructive device after a domestic disturbance in Hope Hull, has been sentenced to 41 months in a federal prison. 

An announcement from U.S. Attorney Kevin Davidson said that Gilreath was arrested on March 20 in 2024 when police responded to the domestic disturbance call. 

Police learned that Gilreath had a restraining order against him, prohibiting him from being on the property that he was arrested on. 

"During a search of Gilreath’s vehicle, which was parked on the property, deputies found nine firearms — including handguns and AR-style firearms — numerous rounds of ammunition, several ammunition magazines, and two sets of body armor," said the announcement. "Several of the magazines were high-capacity drum style magazines."

"In addition, deputies located four prescription medication bottles that contained two common substances that, when mixed, create an explosive material subject to federal regulation. Three of the containers were also found to contain metal shrapnel, which would enhance the destructive power of the mixture."

On the following day police executed a search warrant at Gilreath's home and reportedly found additional quantities of explosive mixture and shrapnel material that included assorted glass shards, the announcement said.

Gilreath will serve three years of supervised release after his prison sentence.