A brother and sister face federal charges after an improvised explosive device (IED) was discovered outside the visitor center at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, one of the country’s most strategically important military installations.
Alen Zheng, 20, and Ann Mary Zheng, 27, were indicted Wednesday (March 25) on separate federal charges. Both siblings are U.S. citizens. Alen Zheng is currently in China and has not yet been taken into custody. Ann Mary Zheng was arrested upon her return from China.
U.S. Attorney Gregory Kehoe announced the charges at a press conference in Tampa on Thursday (March 26). He said the device “could have potentially been very deadly,” though it never detonated.
FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X that Alen Zheng is the “prime suspect” in the case and faces charges of attempting to destroy government property and unlawfully making and possessing an explosive device. If convicted, he faces up to 40 years in prison.
Ann Mary Zheng faces up to 30 years if found guilty of witness tampering and acting as an accessory after the fact. Prosecutors say she helped cover up the crime by selling the vehicle her brother used to drop off the device — a 2010 black Mercedes-Benz SUV.
Authorities say Alen Zheng planted the IED near the base’s visitor center on the evening of Tuesday (March 10), then called 911 minutes later to report a bomb on the base. Base personnel did not discover the device until Sunday (March 16) — nearly six days later.
After the device was found, investigators moved quickly. Phone data tied the 911 call to Alen Zheng, and surveillance video placed his SUV near the scene. By that point, Alen and Ann Mary Zheng had already sold the vehicle, bought plane tickets, and flown to China.
Investigators tracked down the Mercedes-Benz at a CarMax dealership. Although the car had been vacuumed and cleaned, agents still found residue matching the explosive, Kehoe said. A search of the family’s home also turned up components consistent with explosive devices.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor said the IED was flown by helicopter to an FBI lab in Huntsville, Alabama, for further analysis.
The siblings’ mother has been detained pending deportation proceedings for overstaying her visa, Kehoe said. He added that investigators have found no immediate evidence that Alen Zheng was acting on behalf of the Chinese government or any other foreign power. “We’re exploring every avenue we can to get him back to the United States,” Kehoe said.
Public records show Ann Mary Zheng with addresses in both New York and Florida. Her brother’s most recent address is listed in Land O’Lakes in Pasco County, Florida.
MacDill Air Force Base serves as the headquarters for U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees military operations across 20 countries in the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of South Asia. The base has been on heightened alert since the U.S. entered into war with Iran, which began on February 28.
The IED incident is not the only recent threat at the base. Jonathan James Elder, 35, was arrested March 23 on charges of making threatening phone calls to MacDill on March 18, two days after the device was discovered. Authorities say Elder referenced the suspicious package found at the visitor center during one of the calls. Investigators have found no connection between Elder and the Zheng siblings.
A federal public defender declined to comment on the charges against the Zheng siblings. The case remains active, and federal authorities continue to work to extradite Alen Zheng from China.
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