Porterville Man Sentenced to Prison for Possessing Bomb Making Materials, Elder Abuse
Today at the South County Justice Center, the Tulare County Superior Court sentenced Joshua Isgrigg, age 33, to 5 years in state prison after pleading no contest to the following: one count of making a destructive device without a permit / possession of materials to make explosives, one count of elder abuse under circumstances likely to produce great bodily injury, and one count of financial elder abuse. Each count is a felony. Isgrigg pleaded to the charges on January 28, 2021.
On April 5, 2020, Isgrigg was the caretaker of a 64-year-old wheelchair bound family member. Isgrigg grew increasingly angry with the victim, which culminated with him spitting in her face and cursing at her. Isgrigg left in the victim’s car without her permission while she herself crawled to a window yelling for help. A neighbor heard her and called 911. While at the hospital, the victim detailed Isgrigg’s perpetual physical and financial abuse. Adult Protective Services and law enforcement became involved in the case. Other family members expressed concerns that Isgrigg was planning violence.
On June 3, 2020, law enforcement was summoned to Porterville City Hall after Isgrigg became irate and used racist statements with city finance employees over his family member’s bills. He left before law enforcement arrived.
Moments later, a motorcycle patrol pulled over an unlicensed and uninsured Isgrigg after hearing the description of the car that had left city hall. During an investigative search of the vehicle, officers found several plastic jugs containing battery acid, as well as semi-crushed hexamine tablets (which is a solid fuel in tablet form), a 54-pound box of ammonium nitrate and a Neo-Nazi flag, among other white supremacist indicia.
During a warrant search of Isgrigg’s residence, officers located hexamine, ammonia nitrate, 36-pounds of potassium nitrate, 12-pounds of potassium chloride, 3-pounds of potassium chlorate, aluminum powder, 10-pounds of citric acid powder, 29.5 boxes of hexamine fuel tablets, highly concentrated 60% hydrogen peroxide and 2-pounds of lye. Officers also discovered Neo-Nazi paraphernalia and a flag of Adolf Hitler.
The Federal Bureau of Investigations’ laboratory in Quantico, Virginia confirmed the materials were precursor components in creating a bomb, and agent interviews with Isgrigg revealed that he had attempted to mix the components and tested their effectiveness. Isgrigg’s internet search history revealed that he had made internet searches on how to make a bomb. No potential target was ever determined. Financial records also revealed that Isgrigg made nearly $2,000 worth of Amazon purchases using his family member’s bank card during April 2020.
The case was investigated by the Porterville Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations, and was prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney Noel Niayesh of the South County Division.
Media inquiries can be directed to the Office of the District Attorney, County of Tulare
Assistant District Attorney Robert Dempsie (559) 636-5494