Four individuals implicated in a London, Ont., investigation involving the manufacturing of explosives and firearms now confront 19 additional charges, as per court records submitted on Tuesday. Jerry Tong, Zekun (Alex) Wang, Fei (Frank) Han, and Feiyang (Astrid) Ji were formally accused in January. They were all either students or recent graduates of Western University, with the male trio having backgrounds in the engineering field.
The revised set of charges presented to the Ontario Court of Justice raises the total number of separate counts to 31. Some of the charges are collective against all four individuals, while others are specific to each accused party.
The fresh accusations encompass the possession of five distinct explosive materials, possession of stolen goods, and unauthorized access to computer data linked to firearms production.
The protracted investigation commenced on Jan. 24 when law enforcement responded to a trespassing incident at Western following the unauthorized entry of two men into one of the university’s engineering structures. One person was apprehended outside the building, leading authorities to a residence in the nearby University Heights area where the remaining three suspects were arrested.
Authorities conducted an extensive search of the dwelling at 212 Chesham Place, where Wang, Han, and Ji resided, along with two other residences in Orléans, in suburban Ottawa, and Gatineau, Quebec.
Initially, the quartet faced various firearms charges, such as the creation of a handgun and possession of a restricted loaded handgun. Additional charges against Tong, Wang, and Ji now involve the possession of firearm magazines and suppressors, as well as possession of another banned firearm. Tong and Wang are also accused of handling and carelessly storing a rifle.
Tong, who bears the brunt of the charges, faces new allegations related to incidents in different cities. He is charged with storing rifles in an Orléans residence, manufacturing a prohibited firearm in Ottawa, and possessing a rifle at an unauthorized location in Quebec.
Documents revealed that Tong possessed a firearms license; however, some charges pertain to the possession of a firearm at an undisclosed location not specified on his license.
Moreover, Tong and Wang face fresh charges linked to events predating their arrest. Wang is accused of manufacturing a weapon between Sept. 1, 2025, and Jan. 24, 2026, while both are charged with trespassing a Western building on Oct. 9, 2025.
The four suspects are also confronted with a new set of charges for the possession of explosive substances, specifically pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), trinitrotoluene (TNT), dinitrophenol (DNP), hexamethylene triperoxide diamine (HMTD), and lead azide, which are named for the first time.
Additionally, all four individuals face a new charge of possessing Western University property valued at less than $5,000. Wang faces an individual charge of accessing computer data related to firearms, specifically design files usable with a 3D printer, metal milling machine, or similar system for manufacturing a device.
The accused parties face varying numbers of charges, with Tong bearing 28, Wang 20, Han 11, and Ji 13. The legal proceedings are ongoing, with two individuals out on bail and two remaining in custody. Tong did not seek bail and is currently detained, while Han’s bail request was denied in February.
Wang was granted bail in March under stringent conditions, including 24-hour house arrest and continuous supervision by two sureties, each posting $200,000. Ji is also out on bail without any sureties.