Four individuals implicated in a London, Ontario investigation involving the production of explosives and firearms are now facing 19 additional charges, as revealed by court documents filed on Tuesday. Jerry Tong, Zekun (Alex) Wang, Fei (Frank) Han, and Feiyang (Astrid) Ji were originally charged in January. All four have ties to Western University, either as students or recent graduates, with the male members having backgrounds in the university’s engineering department.
The updated list of charges, filed at the Ontario Court of Justice, now totals 31 separate counts. Some charges are collective against all four individuals, while others are specific to each accused person. The fresh charges encompass possession of five distinct explosive materials, possession of stolen items, and unauthorized access to computer data related to firearm production.
The investigation, which commenced on January 24, originated from a trespassing incident at Western University involving two men breaking into an engineering building. Subsequently, one person was apprehended outside the building, leading the authorities to a residence in the nearby University Heights neighborhood where the other three suspects were taken into custody. The police conducted an extensive search of the residence at 212 Chesham Place, where Wang, Han, and Ji resided, and also searched two other properties in Orléans, Ottawa, and Gatineau, Quebec.
Initially, the accused faced several firearms charges, including manufacturing a handgun and possessing a loaded restricted handgun. The latest charges against Tong, Wang, and Ji involve possession of firearm magazines and suppression devices, in addition to another prohibited firearm. Tong and Wang are additionally charged with handling and carelessly storing a rifle.
Tong, who bears the brunt of the charges, faces additional counts related to incidents in other cities. He is accused of storing rifles in an Orléans residence, manufacturing a prohibited firearm in Ottawa, and possessing a rifle in an unauthorized location in Quebec. Despite holding a firearms license, Tong is charged with possessing a firearm in a location not specified on his license.
Moreover, Wang is now charged with manufacturing a weapon between September 1, 2025, and January 24, 2026, while both Wang and Tong are accused of trespassing a Western building on October 9, 2025.
The court documents outline a new set of charges against Tong, Wang, Han, and Ji for possessing explosive substances, including pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), trinitrotoluene (TNT), dinitrophenol (DNP), hexamethylene triperoxide diamine (HMTD), and lead azide. Initially, all four were charged with possessing precursor substances and completed high explosives.
Additionally, the accused face a new charge of possessing property belonging to Western University valued at less than $5,000. Wang is singularly charged with accessing computer data related to firearms or prohibited devices, particularly design files capable of being used for manufacturing purposes.
The number of charges against each defendant stands as follows:
– Tong: 28 charges
– Wang: 20 charges
– Han: 11 charges
– Ji: 13 charges
The legal proceedings are ongoing, with two individuals released on bail while the other two remain in custody. Tong opted not to seek bail and remains detained. Han was denied bail and was returned to custody 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.