Federal Charges Filed After IED Found At MacDill Air Force Base As Suspect Flees To China

Alen Zheng, 20, of Land O’Lakes, Florida, is accused of planting the device on March 10 before later calling 911 to report it, U.S. Attorney Gregory Kehoe said during a press conference. Prosecutors said his sister, Ann Mary Zheng, 27, helped him evade law enforcement after the incident, The New York Post reported.

Authorities initially searched for the device but were unable to locate it following the 911 call. An Air Force service member later discovered the explosive in a secluded area on March 16, prosecutors said.

Both siblings, who are U.S. citizens, allegedly sold the vehicle used to transport the device and fled the country to China days after the incident, Kehoe said. Alen Zheng remains at large and could face up to 40 years in prison if convicted.

“We are exploring every avenue we can to get him back to the United States,” Kehoe said.