Federal Charges Filed After IED Found At MacDill Air Force Base As Suspect Flees To China

Federal authorities have brought serious charges against two siblings accused of targeting a major U.S. military installation in Florida, in a case raising fresh concerns about domestic security threats amid heightened global tensions.

Prosecutors say an improvised explosive device (IED) was planted at MacDill Air Force Base—home to U.S. Central Command, which is currently overseeing operations tied to Iran. According to officials, the suspect allegedly attempted to detonate the device near the base’s visitor center earlier this month.

Alen Zheng, 20, of Land O’Lakes, Florida, is accused of placing the device on March 10 before later calling 911 to report it, U.S. Attorney Gregory Kehoe said during a press briefing. Authorities allege his sister, Ann Mary Zheng, 27, assisted him in evading law enforcement following the incident, The New York Post reported.

Despite an initial search prompted by the 911 call, authorities were unable to locate the device. It was ultimately discovered days later, on March 16, by an Air Force service member in a remote section of the base.

Both individuals—identified as U.S. citizens—are accused of selling the vehicle used in the operation before fleeing the country to China shortly after the incident, according to prosecutors. Alen Zheng remains at large and could face up to 40 years in prison if convicted.

“We are exploring every avenue we can to get him back to the United States,” Kehoe said.

MacDill also serves as headquarters for U.S. Special Operations Command, which oversees America’s elite special forces. Officials have not yet identified a clear motive behind the alleged attack.

Ann Mary Zheng was apprehended after returning to the United States on March 17 under unclear circumstances. “Why she came back is unknown,” Kehoe said.

She now faces charges of assisting after the fact and evidence tampering, with a potential sentence of up to 30 years in prison. “She helped the defendant flee and destroy evidence,” Kehoe said.

The case unfolds against the backdrop of heightened scrutiny over national security reporting and alleged misinformation surrounding potential foreign threats.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt recently called on ABC News to retract a report suggesting the FBI had warned of a possible Iranian drone attack on California. The outlet had reported: “BREAKING: The FBI has warned police departments in California that Iran wants to retaliate for American attacks by launching offensive drones against the West Coast, according to an alert reviewed by ABC News.”

Leavitt forcefully rejected the claim, writing, “This post and story should be immediately retracted by ABC News for providing false information to intentionally alarm the American people.”

She added: “They wrote this based on one email that was sent to local law enforcement in California about a single, unverified tip. The email even states the tip was based on unverified intelligence. Yet ABC News left out this critical fact in their story! WHY?”

“TO BE CLEAR: No such threat from Iran to our homeland exists, and it never did,” Leavitt went on.

Leavitt further amplified a post from FBI Assistant Director for Public Affairs Ben Williamson, who highlighted discrepancies between the original report and the actual alert: “On the left is the way ABC (or their source) reported the FBI alert. On the right is the actual FBI alert that went to JTFF partners. You will notice the word left out —’Unverified.’”

ABC News later issued an editor’s note acknowledging the omission, stating: “The FBI has posted a fuller version of its alert to California authorities, which includes that the information was unverified. The latest version of this story has been updated with the full statement.”

As federal authorities pursue the suspect still at large, the case underscores ongoing concerns about both physical security threats and the role of media accuracy in shaping public perception during sensitive national security moments.