Newton Man Faces Bomb Charges In Chicago Dorm Room Explosion

NEWTON, MA — A Newton man accused of triggering an explosion in his Chicago dorm room and trying to conceal his attempts at bomb-making as a way to aid Armenia in its territorial conflict with Azerbaijan was charged with lying to federal officials after his bags set off explosive alarms at Logan Airport and bomb-making instructions were found in his Newton home.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said Aram Brunson, 21, is charged in a criminal complaint with falsifying, concealing and covering up a material fact by trick, scheme or device and making false statements to federal officials. Brunson is believed to be living in Yerevan, Armenia and attending the American University there.

Brunson is accused of triggering the explosion at his University of Chicago dorm room in January 2023 while using black powder to build a device that detonated, burning his room and causing an evacuation of the dormitory. The U.S. Attorney's Office said he told law enforcement at the time that he was mimicking a prank he'd seen on the internet when they said he was actually working to improve his ability to construct bombs he could use in military and potentially terrorist acts to support Armenian causes.

Brunson is accused of making videos of himself teaching others how to make explosive devices and rig doors and desks with grenades. His internet searches also suggested that he planned to take action against foreign diplomatic facilities in the United States, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

According to court documents, Brunson's bags set off explosive alarms at Logan Airport as he attempted to depart for Armenia in August 2023. During a subsequent search of his Newton home, a detailed recipe for making that explosive was found and a bomb dog detected explosive material in the bedroom, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

"What Arum Brunson is accused of is alarming," Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, said. "We believe he engaged in a calculated scheme to conceal his efforts to develop bomb-making skills and construct an explosive device in support of his violent extremist activity."

Each of the charges provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.