Article says they are being charged with having an explosive device.
At best, they were trespassing on range property and stealing brass. . .to me it appears they had unknowingly collected an unfired round. I say unknowingly because no one would put a live round in the middle of a bunch of brass and then try to melt it.
Neglect of ordnance, the moral equivalent of theft of ordnance, potentially putting family members or neighbors in grave danger.
A lot of people fell down here.
81mm mortar round is not something you want to be messing around with. It will take you out and probably a few of your neighbors as well.
First, the army destroyed the evidence yet we’re supposed to believe it existed.
Second, Bergdahl deserts but “spending five years as a POW is punishment enough.” But blow up your home and still get prosecuted.