Criminal charges were filed Tuesday against a Redondo Beach man who was arrested in connection with a suspicious package found last week at the Torrance courthouse.
Anthony Ray Garcia pleaded not guilty to two counts of use of a destructive device and explosive to injure or destroy, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
One of the charges involves the Torrance courthouse last Wednesday and the other count involves a tiny home community between the Torrance courthouse and the Torrance Police Department on Oct. 19, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
The Torrance courthouse was evacuated last Wednesday in response to the suspicious package found at the building, but no injuries were reported.
Personnel at the courthouse were alerted at 7 a.m. and the suspicious package was located about 30 feet from the main entrance of the building on Maple Avenue, just north of Torrance Boulevard, the sheriff’s department said.
Torrance police and Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies initially responded to investigate the suspicious device, and representatives from the FBI arrived later.
Video from the scene showed a bomb squad robot approaching and using an orange inflatable to detonate the item near a bench outside the building’s front entrance. A note was also found alongside the item.
Sheriff’s officials declared the area safe around 10:15 a.m., but the building remained closed for the remainder of the day.
Garcia, 56, was arrested last Friday in the 2200 block of Belmont Lane in Redondo Beach.
Detectives served a search warrant at Garcia’s residence and arrested him on suspicion of using a destructive device, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
He was ordered to remain jailed in lieu of $2 million bail pending his next court date Dec. 12 at the Compton courthouse, according to the District Attorney’s Office.