Massachusetts felon pleads guilty after DOJ says he sold Russian plutonium to 67 customers

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A convicted felon from Massachusetts has pleaded guilty to illegally importing plutonium from Russia and selling the radioactive material and other highly toxic and hazardous materials to customers in the U.S. and abroad, while also pleading guilty to possessing child sexual abuse material.

Jacob D. Miller, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition, one count of being a felon in possession of explosive materials, one count of importing nuclear material without lawful authority, one count of mailing hazardous materials and one count of possession of child pornography, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.

Miller was arrested on April 9, 2025, and indicted by a grand jury on April 17. He has remained in federal custody since his arrest.

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A man pleaded guilty to illegally importing plutonium from Russia

He had previously been convicted on Feb. 9, 2004, in Massachusetts state court for possessing child pornography and possessing an explosive device. According to federal prosecutors, Miller received seven years of probation in the child pornography case and, in a separate case involving two counts of possessing an explosive device, was sentenced to 2½ years in jail and 10 years of probation.

After his release, Miller started a business called Collect The Periodic Table (CTPT) and sold samples of elements such as plutonium, which is highly radioactive, and thallium, which is highly toxic, according to prosecutors. In addition to selling through CTPT directly, Miller used an online third-party retailer, Bonanza, to make sales.

Miller imported plutonium from Russia and arranged for it to be mailed to him at his Massachusetts residence, prosecutors said. Between Dec. 30, 2020, and March 31, 2025, Miller sold plutonium to about 67 customers across the U.S. and abroad. Miller shipped the plutonium to his customers through a U.S. mail service, despite plutonium being a hazardous substance that was prohibited from being shipped.

Convicted felon pleads guilty to mailing hazardous materials and unlawfully possessing ammunition and explosive materials

Between Oct. 12, 2017, and April 5, 2025, Miller used CTPT and Bonanza to sell thallium to about 71 customers, according to prosecutors. Miller also shipped the thallium to his customers through the U.S. mail, even though thallium was also a hazardous substance that was barred from being mailed.

During a search of Miller’s residence in April 2025, a box containing bottles of explosive powder, numerous rounds of ammunition and six firearms were recovered by investigators. The ammunition, firearms and explosive materials were unlawfully possessed because of his previous felony convictions, prosecutors said.

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Man pleads guilty to mailing hazardous materials and unlawfully possessing ammunition

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Miller’s laptop and cell phone were also found with child sexual abuse material, which he had opened as recently as the day before the search warrant, according to prosecutors.

His sentencing has been scheduled for Jan 21.

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