Brent Sharrai Arrested for Attempting to Ignite IED Near Railroad Car in Payette, Idaho, FBI Investigates

Jan 3, 2025, 12:33 AM

Brent Sharrai, a 40-year-old man from Payette, Idaho, was arrested after attempting to ignite an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) near a parked railroad car. The incident occurred on Wednesday around 5:54 p.m. when Payette police responded to reports of a suspicious individual near the 600 Block of North 8th Street. Upon arrival, officers discovered fresh footprints leading to a train car where they found a suspected undetonated IED. Sharrai fled the scene but was later apprehended in a nearby camping trailer. He faces charges including possession of a destructive device, possession of a controlled substance, possession of paraphernalia, and resisting and obstructing officers. The Nampa Bomb Squad was called to the scene, using their specialized robot to safely remove and detonate the device. Union Pacific was notified, and train services were halted for approximately five hours. An FBI agent responded to assist in the investigation, which included executing a search warrant on the camping trailer where controlled substances and paraphernalia were found. Federal charges for possessing and manufacturing a destructive device are pending.