Second man arrested in connection with IED on Maui to appear in federal court on Monday

A Maui man will appear in federal court on Monday for an initial hearing after being arrested on Wednesday for his alleged connection to improvised explosive devices (IEDs) found near Kaʻamana St. in Kula on Aug. 7, 2024.

Jess Kiesel Lee, age 43, of Kula, was named in a criminal complaint for allegedly possessing explosives as a felon and damaging property by means of explosives, according to an announcement by United States Attorney Clare E. Connors.

The complaint and affidavit allege that on Aug. 7, 2024, Maui police officers encountered multiple IEDs near Kaʻamana Street. One of the IEDs, which had been exploded before officers arrived, contained a mixture of compounds consistent with the remnants of explosive powder. Lee’s fingerprint was recovered from tape on that IED, the complaint alleges.

One of the detonated IEDs had been constructed with pipe, attached to a guardrail, and detonated, according to the complaint.

“The undetonated IEDs and the remnants of detonated IEDs were fairly consistent in their components and materials with that of homemade, illegal fireworks,” the complaint contends.

The criminal complaint states that Lee has prior felony convictions for assault and terroristic threatening.

If indicted and convicted of the charged offenses, Lee would face up to 10 years in prison on the felon in possession of explosives charge and a mandatory minimum sentence of at least five years in prison, but no more than and up to 20 years in prison, on the property damage charge.

“The charges and information contained in the federal complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until indicted and proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law,” according to the Department of Justice.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and MPD conducted the investigation resulting in the complaint and arrest, and the investigation into this matter remains ongoing. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant US Attorneys Jonathan D. Slack and Wayne A. Myers.

Lee is not charged for the IED located near Lono Ave. in Kahului on July 23, 2024 or the explosion damaging a car traveling along the Old Haleakalā Highway in Pukalani on Aug. 8, 2024. Another man, Robert Dumaran, 47, of Maui was charged with the Kahului IED incident. The Pukalani explosion was mentioned in a criminal complaint filed on Aug. 13, 2024, but no-one has been charged for that incident to date.