Bond denied for ex-AT&T employee who reportedly tried to blow up Mississippi cell tower

Published 7:31 am Thursday, September 23, 2021

Bond was denied Wednesday for a man accused of planting an explosive device at an AT&T site in Jefferson Davis County earlier this month.

According to a criminal complaint filed by a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Victor Joseph Schexnayder, 48, is accused of “maliciously damaging or destroying, or attempting to damage or destroy, by means of fire or an explosive, any building, vehicle, or other real or personal property used in interstate or foreign commerce.”

Jefferson Davis County Sheriff’s deputies were called to a cell tower on Clem Road after workers reported abnormal damage to the tower that caused an outage.

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Several days later, Schexnayder, of Prentiss, was arrested by Jefferson Davis County Sheriff’s Office deputies.

According to authorities, Schexnayder utilized a targeted explosive in order to damage a telecommunications device tower owned and operated by AT&T.

Multiple sources say Schexnayder was a former employee who was recently separated from AT&T.

“At this point, we do not suspect this is related in any way to an act of terrorism,” said ATF South Mississippi Resident Agent in Charge Jason Denham.

Schexnayder was charged with felony malicious mischief and booked into the Jefferson Davis County Jail.

The ATF is partnering jointly with the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and the Jefferson Davis County Sheriff’s Department to pursue federal prosecution for this crime.