Roadside Blast Leads to Big Lake Bomb Lab, Meth Trade, and Child Endangerment Charges

BIG LAKE, Minn. — What began as a routine late-night patrol stop in Big Lake Township on October 21 has spiraled into a multi-agency criminal investigation, uncovering a home-based explosives lab, a cache of illegal weapons and narcotics, and a child allegedly living amid squalid, dangerous conditions.

The Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) says the case has now expanded into both state and federal prosecutions against a Big Lake man and his nephew, accused of manufacturing nail-packed bombs, trading them for methamphetamine, and storing firearms and explosive materials in a filthy residence.

Explosion on a Sherburne County Road

According to the criminal complaint, a Sherburne County deputy was driving near 206th Street and 221st Avenue just before midnight when a “loud concussive boom and bright flash of light” erupted from a white Dodge Challenger ahead of his squad. With no other vehicles nearby, the deputy determined the explosion came directly from the car.

The occupants — Jantje Rorman, 50, of Big Lake, and his nephew Ethan Rorman, 24, of Coon Rapids — allegedly admitted they had been tossing “homemade fireworks” from the vehicle, according to the SCSO.

Deputies observed a silvery metallic residue on both men’s hands, recognized as aluminum powder, a key ingredient in improvised explosives. A search of the car turned up bags of explosive mixture, eyedropper bottles with fuses, a propane torch, and a pill bottle containing methamphetamine. Both suspects were arrested on the spot.

Inside the Alleged Bomb Lab

During questioning, Ethan Rorman told investigators that he and his uncle had been experimenting with explosive mixtures in Jantje’s garage, “starting small and scaling up.” He described combining gunpowder, aluminum powder, and other chemicals in pill containers and nasal-spray bottles, then adding fuses to create improvised explosives.

Ethan also alleged that his uncle had been trading the homemade devices for meth with a Twin Cities drug dealer, and that the dealer had requested a Claymore-style bomb that could be 3D-printed and packed with ball bearings.

When deputies searched Jantje Rorman’s Mitchell Road home, they found conditions described as “near-total disarray” — the air reeking of urine, animals, and body odor, with rotting food, dirty dishes, garbage, and hypodermic needles scattered throughout the rooms.

Authorities confirmed that a minor child was living in the home.

Guns, Drugs, and 3D-Printed Suppressors

Inside the cluttered residence, deputies reportedly discovered:

• Large quantities of pills, along with cans of gunpowder, sulfur, and aluminum powder similar to those found in the car.
• A sawed-off bolt-action shotgun, barrel shortened to nine inches and found loaded and within reach of the minor — resulting in a gross-misdemeanor charge for negligent firearm storage.
• About 16 grams of psilocybin mushrooms hidden in a cabinet.
• Three 3D-printed firearm suppressors threaded for barrels but lacking serial numbers or manufacturer markings.
• Multiple boxes of BBs, birdshot, buckshot, and assorted ammunition.

Hidden Bomb Found in Vehicle

Deputies then searched Ethan Rorman’s Toyota, parked outside the home, where they located baggies with meth residue and two containers of THC wax. Hidden in the trunk — under a blanket and inside a spare tire — was an improvised explosive device (IED) roughly the size of a large Russet potato, wrapped in electrical tape with a green fuse and bound with wire.

An X-ray revealed the device was packed with nails and BBs to act as shrapnel. The Minneapolis Bomb Squad was called to safely disable the IED.

Investigators say Ethan later admitted helping build the bomb about a week earlier and confirmed it matched the devices he and his uncle had been testing.

Federal and State Charges Filed

Jantje Rorman allegedly told investigators he learned to make explosives from YouTube videos but denied having any completed devices in his home. Both men now face a complex web of charges in state and federal court:

Federal Charges:

• Possession of an unregistered destructive device (both suspects).
• Possession of an unregistered short-barreled shotgun (Jantje Rorman).

Sherburne County District Court Charges:

• Jantje Rorman: Manufacture or possession of an explosive or incendiary device; possession of explosives with intent; fifth-degree drug possession (psilocybin); possession of a short-barreled shotgun; negligent firearm storage.
• Ethan Rorman: Manufacture or possession of an explosive or incendiary device; possession of explosives with intent; fifth-degree drug possession (methamphetamine).

Authorities confirmed no injuries or property damage from the roadside blasts, but investigators reported that the pair had made multiple devices and were actively experimenting when caught.

Both suspects remain in custody as state and federal proceedings continue.

Public Safety Implications

Sherburne County Sheriff’s officials emphasized that the case underscores the growing risks of homemade explosives, 3D-printed gun components, and the intersection of narcotics and weapons trafficking in suburban Minnesota communities.

Residents of Big Lake Township have expressed concern about the proximity of such volatile materials to family neighborhoods. Law-enforcement agencies, including the Minneapolis Bomb Squad and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), continue to assist in the investigation.

MinneapoliMedia