FORT SMITH, Arkansas — The trial date has been set in the case of a Fort Smith man accused of owning unregistered bombs and fleeing from federal authorities earlier this year.
According to court documents, Neil Mehta was charged March 8 with one count of possession of an unregistered destructive device and another related charge.
A federal judge granted the delay for the trial against Mehta and now set to begin on July 17, 2023 at 9 a.m. in Fort Smith, according to a court filing on March 20.
Charlie Robbins with the Western District of Arkansas confirmed Mehta pleaded not guilty on both counts on March 9, when the original trial date was set for April 3.
Mehta was arrested in Austin after the FBI executed a search warrant on his Fort Smith home, where the unregistered destructive devices were allegedly found. The US Marshals brought him back to Arkansas, where a grand jury indicted him on those charges.
In late January 2023, The FBI and other federal agents executed a search warrant on Mehta's Fort Smith home.
According to court documents, Mehta fled, lying to a neighbor to get a ride and then was helped by his family to evade law enforcement.
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