Man accused of leaving explosive device at Lebanon soccer complex pleads guilty

James River Phillips is shown in this image provided by the Butler County Jail. WCPO

James River Phillips is shown in this image provided by the Butler County Jail. WCPO
Crime & Law
By
Sept 26, 2025
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A 21-year-old Warren County man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati to illegally transporting explosive materials.

James River Phillips of Mason was arrested in April by the FBI Cincinnati Field Office’s Joint Terrorism Task Force after raids in Mason, Oxford and Liberty Twp. by agents with search warrants, according to a release from the FBI.

What was he accused of?

  • On Sept. 22, 2024, Phillips took components of an improvised explosive device to the Lebanon Sports Complex in Lebanon. He reportedly planned to detonate the IED but was stopped when a Lebanon police officer told him to leave because the soccer complex was closed, according to court documents.
  • The officer discovered the live IED, which was seized by the Butler County Bomb Squad. Testing revealed the device contained nickel hydrazine nitrate and erythritol tetranitrate.
An explosive device was found in the parking lot of the Lebanon Sports Complex Sept. 22, 2024. WCPO

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  • Phillips initially was arrested for possessing an unregistered destructive device.
  • At the time of his arrest, the FBI reported that the task force connected Phillips to other incidents where he was alleged to have possessed and detonated potential explosives.

What’s next?

  • Sentencing for Phillips will be determined by the court at a future hearing.
  • He has been free on his own recognizance since shortly after his arrest.

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Jen Roppel Balduf covers the communities of Kettering, Oakwood and northern Warren County, including Springboro and Franklin. She earned a bachelor of science in journalism degree from Ohio University.