PORT TOWNSEND — A bomb was found in the car of a Port Townsend man who was arrested on new charges, including the burglary of a pharmacy, a day after he had been released on his own recognizance following arraignment on charges of burglarizing The Green Eyeshade.
The bomb found in Graham Thomas Welch’s car — a metal cylinder containing black explosive powder and metal pellets police said would act as shrapnel — was defused by the State Patrol Bomb Squad after it was discovered late Wednesday.
On Thursday, for the second consecutive day, Welch, 25, appeared on a video link between the Jefferson County jail and Superior Court chambers on charges that included burglarizing Don’s Pharmacy at 1151 Water St. last Friday, Dec. 12, and taking about 1,000 pills, many of them controlled substances.
The son of a former Port Townsend mayor, he now is charged with 14 criminal counts, several related to explosives and drugs, and others for burglary, possession of stolen property, theft and malicious mischief.
Welch remained Thursday in jail on a $50,000 bond, charged with one count of possession of an explosive device and one count of explosives possession without a license, two counts of second-degree burglary, two counts of possession of stolen property, one count of second-degree theft, three counts of controlled substance violation, two counts of possession of a legend drug without a prescription and two counts of third-degree malicious mischief.
He pleaded not guilty Wednesday to three of those charges: one count each of second-degree burglary, second-degree possession of stolen property and third-degree malicious mischief — all connected with the Monday night burglary of The Green Eyeshade, a kitchen supply store located at 720 Water St.
Judge Keith Harper then released Welch on his own recognizance because of his clean record and ties to the community.
Welch is the son of former Mayor Mark Welch.
On Thursday, arraignment on new charges was delayed until 8:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 26, in the courthouse at 1820 Jefferson St. at the request of Welch’s attorney, Richard Davies of Port Townsend.
Harper ordered a $50,000 bond because of the severity of the new charges and the possibility that Welch was a flight risk, he said during the hearing.
Welch’s first arrest was Tuesday after The Green Eyeshade burglary in which about $100 in cash and some kitchen items were stolen.
He spent that night in jail before his Wednesday arraignment.
Police said he was found with several items, including a whipped cream dispenser and several CO2 canisters containing nitrous oxide, that they believe came from The Green Eyeshade store.
After Welch denied police permission to search his car, a 1996 Chevrolet that had been towed to the Sheriff’s Office in Port Hadlock, Port Townsend Police Officer Luke Bogues obtained a warrant and searched the car at 3:15 p.m. Wednesday.
Bogues said he found a vial of liquid ketorolac tromethamine, an anti-inflammatory; prescription drug paperwork; and what appeared to be a pipe bomb, according to a police probable-cause statement.
Police determined that the metal cylinder could be explosive. They cleared the area and summoned the State Patrol Bomb Squad, which arrived later in the afternoon and used a high-pressure blast of water on the cylinder.
The squad found the explosives and potential shrapnel when they examined the cylinder.
The ketorolac tromethamine had the same serial number as that taken from Don’s Pharmacy, the police report said.
Bogues said Welch arrived at the Sheriff’s Office at about 5:40 p.m., expecting to pick up his car.
Welch told Bogues the confiscated item was not a pipe bomb and was not intended as a destructive explosive.
He added that he was not aware it requires a license from the state to produce explosives, according to the police report.
Welch also denied knowledge of any of the drug-related material, the report said. He told police he had given rides to several different people last Friday night.
He was arrested and searched. Two unauthorized prescription drugs were discovered on him, police said.
The potential sentences for the charges against Welch range from 20 years on the bomb charges to 90 days for the prescription drug possession.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
