TAMPA, Fla. – A federal investigation into a failed bombing at MacDill Air Force Base has led to a series of criminal charges against two Land O’Lakes siblings, following a trail that stretched from Tampa to Michigan and across the globe to China.
United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced the indictments of Alen Zheng, 20, and his sister, Ann Mary Zheng, 27, after a Joint Terrorism Task Force probe into a hidden explosive device found at the base’s visitor center.
The case began on March 10, 2026, when a 911 call warned of a bomb at the facility. While an initial search was unsuccessful, an Air Force service member discovered a hidden improvised explosive device six days later.
Investigators determined the device was capable of causing serious harm or death, though it remains unclear why it failed to detonate.
According to federal prosecutors, surveillance video from a Best Buy captured Alen Zheng purchasing the phone used to make the initial threat. In the days following the attempt, Alen and Ann Mary allegedly sold their 2010 black Mercedes-Benz GLK 350 to CarMax and booked flights to China. Alen successfully fled the United States by March 12.
Ann Mary, however, was stopped by authorities in Detroit, Michigan, on March 17 after returning to the country. She is now charged with witness tampering and acting as an accessory after the fact, with prosecutors alleging she helped her brother escape and worked to conceal the vehicle used in the crime.
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A search of the Zheng residence uncovered materials consistent with the bomb’s construction, and traces of explosive residue were reportedly found inside the vehicle sold to CarMax.
Alen Zheng faces charges including attempted damage of government property and possession of an unregistered destructive device, carrying a potential sentence of 5 to 40 years. Ann Mary faces a maximum of 30 years.
“We are exploring every avenue to get [Alen] Zheng back to the United States,” U.S. Attorney Kehoe stated during a press conference Thursday.
The investigation also led to the arrest of 35-year-old Jonathan James Elder for making separate threatening calls to the base, though officials say there is no evidence linking him to the planting of the device.
The motive behind the Zhengs’ actions remains unknown.
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