The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, working alongside Buckeye and Glendale Police Departments, has arrested a 17-year-old on charges of terrorism.
According to Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, Marvin Jalo had acquired materials to make an explosive device. He had expressed his plan to attack the Phoenix Pride Festival during the weekend of October 20, 2024.
A Grand Jury has indicted Jalo on Class Two Dangerous felonies, including one count of terrorism and one count of conspiracy to commit terrorism. He will be tried as an adult.
“It takes a tremendous amount of cooperative work by law enforcement to develop a lead, locate a suspect, interrupt an attack, and make an arrest before a tragedy could happen,” said Mitchell. “I am deeply grateful and immensely proud of our MCAO investigators and our law enforcement partners for their integral involvement in this case.”
The investigation found that between November 1, 2023, and May 31, 2024, Marvin Jalo participated in online chat rooms discussing the supplies necessary to make an improvised explosive device and then had those supplies shipped to him. He discussed his intent to make TATP (triacetone triperoxide), an unstable explosive that can propel shrapnel and other dangerous items outward, causing serious injury or death to people in the area.
The defendant is currently being held on a $1 million cash-only bond.