Man sentenced to federal prison for distributing bomb-making instructions

MARSHALL — A Jefferson man has been sentenced to 41 months in federal prison. Beau Daniel Merryman, 21, pleaded guilty on Nov. 4, 2021, to distributing information relating to explosives and destructive devices. According to court information, Merryman engaged in a series of online conversations with undercover FBI employees between September and October 2019. Merryman gave detailed instructions on how to make several types of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), such as pipe bombs and pressure-cooker bombs. He explained how to construct the IED’s, selective explosives, pack shrapnel for maximum damage, and construct fuses or detonating devices. According to the release, he also directed that the IEDs be used to target federal law enforcement and critical infrastructure, such as electrical substations.