Allegheny County

Whitehall man sentenced to more than 5 years in prison for homemade bombs, explosives

PITTSBURGH — A former Whitehall man was sentenced in federal court to five years and four months in prison after he was found guilty of making homemade bombs and explosives.

Federal officials said Kurt Cofano, 34, waved a Mt. Lebanon police officer over to his vehicle in July 2020. When police approached, they saw weapons in plain view, and Cofano told them he had M80 type devices in the vehicle along with guns. Officers got a search warrant and found equipment for making bombs such as detonators, triggers and fuses; short-barreled long guns; ammunition; and marijuana in the car.

Federal investigators got search warrants for Cofano’s home and found:

  • 14 improvised grenades
  • 9 devices labeled “M101″
  • Components for making explosives
  • Marijuana
  • Drug paraphernalia

Cofano was also accused of threatening to blow up a state building. He posted videos of himself making and setting off homemade bombs online. Cofano was accused of threatening to kill people at the CIA headquarters in Washington, D.C.