By Bay City News Service
A man who was allegedly found with more than 900 pounds of explosive material in his Pacifica home was arraigned Friday in San Mateo County Superior Court.
Marc Ormando, 47, of Pacifica, was arrested March 5 following a multi-agency months-long undercover investigation of explosives supplied to people dealing in San Francisco.
San Pablo resident Sean Gunther, 37, was also arrested as part of the investigation led by San Francisco police, the FBI, U.S. Marshals and the Marin County Major Crimes Task Force.
In a March 5 search at Ormando's home on Seaside Drive in Pacifica, authorities found 938 pounds of explosives, 732 barrel bombs and 44 pounds of "black powder," or gunpowder, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office.
Authorities also found nine guns and eight rifles in the house, but they appear to have been legally obtained.
Ormando's 10- and 7-year-old children were at home when police searched the home, prosecutors said.
Gunther's San Pablo home was also searched and more explosives and narcotics were allegedly found there, according to police.
Both Ormando and Gunther were charged on various possession and sale or transportation of a destructive device charges, according to San Francisco district attorney's office spokesman Alex Bastian.
Gunther was also charged with possession of methamphetamine. Both pleaded not guilty in San Francisco Superior Court to the charges.
Ormando's case has since been transferred to San Mateo County where he was arraigned on five felony charges this afternoon, all involving possession and sales of explosives and one for child endangerment.
He pleaded not guilty and remains in custody on $750,000 bail, according to Chief Deputy District Attorney Karen Guidotti. He is expected to return to court on April 24 before his preliminary hearing, which was set for June 10. Gunther's case remains in San Francisco County Superior Court.
He has since been taken out of custody and placed on supervised release. His bail was reduced over objections from the district attorney's office, Bastian said.
He is scheduled to return to court on April 11.
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