By Clare Boyle

Special to the Sentinel

Federal authorities are now involved with the investigation surrounding Bethesda teenager Collin McKenzie-Gude, who was charged with attempted carjacking and second-degree assault Monday after previously being arrested by Montgomery County police on July 30 for possession of firearms by a minor and possession of explosive material.

The FBI, CIA, U.S. Secret Service and the Pentagon became involved after a map of Camp David, a presidential motorcade map, counterfeit identification cards, including one from the CIA, and a list outlining things to accomplish by October 2008 were found in McKenzie-Gude's home, according to Assistant State's Attorney Peter Feeney.

This new information came to light Aug. 5 during a bond review hearing for McKenzie-Gude, who was headed to American University's School of International Service in the fall.

McKenzie-Gude, 18, turned himself over to police on July 30 and was charged with five counts of possession of a firearm or ammunition by a minor, possession of a destructive device and possession of explosive material.

Before he had turned himself over to police, McKenzie-Gude attempted to carjack at man on July 29. According to police, at 11:46 a.m., McKenzie-Gude approached a 78-year-old man in the second-level garage near Bloomingdale's at White Flint and demanded the man's keys as he tried to lock his car. When the man refused, McKenzie-Gude struck him with his elbow, knocked him to the ground and grabbed the keys, police said. The teen tried to start the car but couldn't, and fled. The man was treated at the scene for relatively minor injuries.

"It's unconscionable, it's inexcusable ... to attack a 78-year-old," said District Judge J. Michael Conroy, who kept McKenzie-Gude in solitary confinement with a $750,000 bond. Conroy reduced the original $1 million bond by $250,000.

Police linked McKenzie-Gude to the attempted carjacking over the weekend based on evidence at the scene and from descriptions of the assailant.

Along with the government maps, firearms and chemicals he had in his home, McKenzie-Gude, a 2008 graduate of St. John's College High School in Northwest Washington D.C., had a list of teachers' home addresses, according to police who searched his home.

While the investigation continues, authorities have not said what they believe McKenzie-Gude's intentions were or why he was in possession of the documents firearms, chemicals and list of teachers.

Steven Kupferburg, McKenzie-Gude's attorney, said the list was given to his client by another student and was totally innocent. In the meantime, St. John's faculty and staff have been instructed not to talk to reporters, according to one teacher who refused comment.

Police searched the teenager's family home in the 6300 block of Rockhurst Road after the Gaithersburg Police Department received a tip saying the house might contain explosives. After obtaining a search warrant, police entered the house on July 29.

According to charging documents, officials found a Heckler & Koch USP 9 mm handgun, two AK-47 assault rifles, an LAR-15 assault rifle, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and two bulletproof vests during the search of McKenzie-Gude's home.

They also found PVC and threaded metal pipes like those used for pipe bombs, as well as muriatic acid, hydrochloric acid and other assorted chemicals used for bomb making.

A homemade percussion grenade and plans for more explosive devices were also recovered, according to court documents.

In the state of Maryland, an individual must be 21 years of age to legally possess certain types of firearms.

While investigating how the teen came to possess the firearms, it was learned that his father, Joseph Lane Gude, 62, also of the 6300 block of Rockhurst Road, had purchased the firearms for his son. District Court Summons charged Gude with perjury, straw purchase of a firearm (a person purchasing a firearm for someone who can not legally possess it) and straw purchase to a minor prohibited of possessing a firearm.

Along with McKenzie-Gude and his father, a 17-year-old juvenile from Gaithersburg has been implicated as well, though not yet formally charged. The teen had served as a student intern with the Montgomery County Police 1st District Station from May 19, 2008, until he was developed as a suspect in this incident.

According to his attorney, Rene Sandler, he is expected to be charged in the next 30 days with possessing explosives, destruction of a device, theft of under $100, public record access without authorization and illegal access to a computer.

"Nothing with regard to any firearms," said Sandler.

As for McKenzie-Gude's recent attempted carjacking charge, Sandler said her 17-year-old client had "absolutely no involvement with McKenzie-Gude with any crime of violence and any plans to harm anyone. He acted completely on his own without any involvement from my client."

Authorities also said McKenzie-Gude, along with the 17-year-old, had constructed and detonated destructive devices at least three times in a field located near the 21500 block of Goshens Edge Court in Gaithersburg. Devices were reconstructed at the scene by a Fire Department bomb technician. The recovered devices were identical in type and form to those seized in the search of McKenzie-Gude's home.

Authorities originally said the pipe bombs were tested in July 2007, when McKenzie-Gude was only 17 years old. At a bond hearing Aug. 4, Kupferberg said that meant McKenzie-Gude was a juvenile at the time and should have been charged as such. But a prosecutor countered that the tests took place in November, when McKenzie-Gude was old enough to be charged as an adult.

It is likely based on that bond hearing that McKenzie-Gude will be recharged with the date changed from July to November.

Neighbors of McKenzie-Gude and his father said the family mostly kept to themselves. "I really didn't know them that well," said one neighbor. Another neighbor remarked that they were "a pretty quiet family." Both neighbors asked that their names not be used.

Photo courtesy of MCPD