PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. – A Florida man accused of a chemical pipe bomb attack on a deputy in Putnam County in April 2024 has been sentenced to 20 years in prison, the State Attorney’s Office announced Monday.
State Attorney R.J. Larizza said Charles Legault pleaded no contest in May of this year to several charges, including making, possessing, throwing, projecting or discharging a destructive device resulting in bodily harm or property damage; carrying a concealed firearm during the commission of a felony; armed trafficking in meth; possession of meth with intent to sell; and possession of drug paraphernalia.
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Legault was pulled over on Mosely Avenue by a Putnam County Sheriff’s Office deputy on April 5, 2024, and body camera video shows the deputy first smelling marijuana and then asking Legault if he could search the truck.
Seconds later, the deputy finds what he believes are drugs and drug paraphernalia.
Legault, then, is asked to get out of the truck. He is searched and then told to stand at the front of his truck while the deputy searches the rest of the vehicle.
The deputy finds a handgun on the seat and more drugs. About 8 minutes and 45 seconds into the video, the chemical pipe bomb explodes in the deputy’s face as he continues to search for drugs.
The deputy struggles to breathe but manages to call for backup and place Legault into handcuffs.
The deputy’s uniform can be seen covered in a white chemical powder as he takes off his body armor. The deputy was taken to the hospital and treated for respiratory injuries.
Investigators later learned the PVC pipe bomb was filled with chlorine and brake fluid.
The bomb squad was called to the scene to clear the area of any other explosives.
Detectives later learned the defendant had intentionally assembled the device and was also armed with a suppressor, loaded magazines, and ammunition. In addition, a large amount of methamphetamine was found in Legault’s vehicle.
The next day, deputies raided Lagault’s house. They did not find any other bombs, but did discover more illegal drugs.
“The defendant is a very dangerous individual who will be off our streets for a long time,” Larizza said about the case. “It is a troubling reality that there are people out there who engage in such activities. Our communities are safe with his absence from the streets!”