Wisconsin Man Receives Federal Chemical Weapons Charges for Chlorine Gas

Chalk this one up to the scary things happening right under your nose that could kill you. This time it's not an accident or some mechanical failure, but an individual with a gift for chemistry and a disdain for the law.

James Morgan, formerly of Janesville, WI, thought he had a formula for outsmarting the "systems control." The former chemistry student at UW-Whitewater, known online as Karactus Blome, kept a stash of chemicals in a Wisconsin storage unit that could produce dangerous amounts of chlorine gas in minutes. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, this was no science project. Instead, it was a blueprint for a chemical weapon. Suffice it to say, under federal law, you can’t do that.

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In December 2023, FBI agents searched Morgan’s storage unit in Whitewater, Wisconsin and found precursor chemicals that, if mixed, could create toxic gas capable of killing or seriously injuring people almost immediately. Prosecutors said the materials had no peaceful purpose and were intended for use in an attack.

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Court records showed Morgan had described himself as a “weapon designer” and viewed chemical warfare as an alternative to firearms. Starting as early as 2019, Morgan posted online about making acid-spraying devices and homemade weapons. He shared his violent, anti-government, and racist views across social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and the fringe site Gab. He even bragged about his homemade flamethrower and pipe bombs. The pipebombs landed him a two-year prison sentence after a guilty plea in 2024.

He created videos demonstrating the chemicals, discussed their lethal potential, and sent instructions on where to buy them and how much was needed. Investigators learned he had even outlined scenarios in which chlorine gas could be used to target government agents.

The FBI Laboratory confirmed the substances could generate large volumes of chlorine gas quickly, posing a severe risk to health and life. Prosecutors said Morgan fully understood the danger and had prepared for the possibility of using the gas in a standoff with law enforcement.

On August 1st, 2025, U.S. District Judge Brett Ludwig sentenced Morgan to an additional 29 months in federal prison for possession of chemical weapon precursors in violation of Title 18, Section 229(a). Authorities highlighted the extreme danger of chlorine gas and the need to deter anyone considering similar conduct.

Morgan is already serving a separate two-year sentence for possessing destructive devices. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said this case reflects a continued effort to stop individuals from acquiring or using weapons of "mass destruction." When it comes to stockpiling the ingredients for a chemical attack, the message is simple: you can’t do that, and trying will land you in federal prison.