LEESBURG, VA – Four months after an early morning explosion rocked a quiet Leesburg neighborhood, the Loudoun County Fire Marshal’s Office has arrested an 18-year-old in connection with the blast.
Just after 4 a.m. on Sunday, October 5, 2025, residents along Sparkleberry Terrace were jolted awake by a loud boom. Responders from Leesburg, Hamilton, Ashburn, and Lansdowne rushed to the scene. When they arrived, they found several manhole covers blown out of place and smoke lingering in the air. Thankfully, no one was injured.
What appeared to be a strange underground incident turned out to be far more serious.
Investigators with Loudoun County Fire and Rescue’s Fire Marshal’s Office (LCFR-FMO) determined the cause: an improvised explosive device, or IED. That triggered a months-long investigation involving search warrants, bomb-sniffing dogs, and assistance from federal agencies.
Authorities say the investigation led them to northeast Leesburg, where they executed a search and uncovered materials used to make IEDs and incendiary devices.
On Thursday, January 29, 2026, officers arrested Trent Lasher, 18, of Leesburg. He’s been charged with two felony counts under Virginia law related to the manufacture and possession of explosive devices. He’s being held without bond at the Adult Detention Center.
The case brought together multiple agencies—including the Leesburg Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), the FBI, and the National Geospatial Agency.
For many long-time Loudoun residents, this arrest is unsettling, especially given the age of the suspect and the residential setting of the explosion.
The investigation is ongoing, and officials haven’t yet said if they believe others were involved.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Loudoun County Fire Marshal’s Office tip line.
