By Donald Wittkowski
Four months after arresting a Sea Isle City man on drug and weapons charges, authorities are still investigating the types of explosive devices he allegedly had in his possession, a senior police official said.
Steven Lamb, 30, was arrested Sept. 30 on two counts of possession of chemicals and components “for the purpose of manufacturing explosive devices,” Sea Isle police said.
He was also charged with drug and weapons offenses after LSD and a CO2-powered handgun were found in his possession, according to authorities.
Citing the ongoing investigation, Sea Isle Police Capt. Anthony Garreffi said authorities are trying to identify the types of components found in Lamb’s possession and what he intended to do with them.
“That’s still under investigation. He hasn’t spoken to police,” Garreffi said in an interview Tuesday.
When Lamb was arrested in September, Police Chief Thomas D’Intino stressed that Sea Isle residents were never in danger. D’Intino declined then to characterize the components as a bomb.
Garreffi, who has assumed the title of acting police chief as D’Intino prepares to retire on Jan. 31, said authorities are investigating Lamb’s background and whether the explosive devices may be related to his occupation.
Lamb’s profile on the professional networking website LinkedIn says he is the owner and operator of Altered Elevations, a company involved in “making, repairing and designing props for fire-performance art.”
The employment history in Lamb’s LinkedIn profile also says he has been working in event security since September 2014 for Argus Event Staffing LLC, a company that provides security at sporting and music events in the Denver area.
Currently, Lamb is in the custody of the Cape May County jail awaiting a hearing, Garreffi said. Lamb’s attorney, John Tumelty, of Marmora, did not respond to calls seeking comment.
Garreffi said Lamb was transferred to the jail after he was released on Jan. 5 from the state’s Ancora Psychiatric Hospital, where he had been under observation.
Although police did not release the address of the Sea Isle residence where Lamb was arrested, neighbors said it was a condominium complex at 104 36th Street, at the corner of Landis Avenue. Property records list the owner of one of the condos at 104 36th Street as Linda Lamb.
Garreffi said police were called to the condo on Sept. 30 by Lamb’s mother after she became concerned about her son’s health.
“He was acting differently than she was accustomed to,” Garreffi said.
While they were in the condo, police observed some “suspicious materials” and took Lamb into custody. The drugs that were allegedly discovered included strips of LSD, police said.
Garreffi said drug charges against Lamb have been upgraded after a police laboratory found he had a greater amount of LSD than was first thought in September.
During the arrest, Sea Isle police were assisted by the Cape May County Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive Weapons Unit, the Atlantic City Police Bomb Squad, the FBI and the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office.
