SOUTH HADLEY, MASSACHUSETTERS — Jacob D. Miller pleaded guilty in federal court to importing nuclear material without lawful authority, being a felon in possession of ammunition and explosive materials, mailing hazardous materials, and possessing child pornography. The 44-year-old South Hadley, Massachusetts, resident faces a potential prison sentence of 46 years or more.

Miller operated a business called Collect The Periodic Table that sold samples of chemical elements, including radioactive plutonium and toxic thallium. He sold plutonium to 67 customers in the U.S. and abroad between December 2020 and March 2025. Miller used the U.S. Postal Service to deliver plutonium despite laws prohibiting its transport through mail.

The U.S. Postal Service has seen an increase in cases involving the illegal mailing of hazardous materials, with over 200 such incidents reported in 2023 alone. Between June and October 2023, Miller recorded at least five PayPal transactions for the sale of plutonium, according to prosecutors.

In 2023, Miller allegedly asked an associate to purchase five pounds of black powder for use in creating a fireball to destroy a dishwasher in his backyard. Authorities found child sexual abuse material on Miller’s laptop and cellphone during an April 2025 search of his residence. That same search recovered rifles, explosive powder, and ammunition.

Miller was convicted in 2004 of possessing child pornography and possessing an explosive device. He was previously convicted in Hampshire Superior Court of two counts of possession of an explosive device. This 2004 conviction made him a prohibited person under federal law from possessing firearms, ammunition, or explosives.

In 2025, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection conducted a safety assessment of Miller’s home due to the presence of hazardous chemicals and radioactive materials, including plutonium. U.S. District Judge Mark G. Mastroianni is assigned to preside over Miller’s sentencing. Miller is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 21.

Why It Matters

The case involves the illegal distribution of radioactive materials through the mail system, a violation that carries federal penalties. Miller’s actions spanned several years and involved dozens of customers across the United States and abroad, demonstrating a sustained effort to bypass regulatory controls on hazardous substances.

The combination of charges reflects a pattern of behavior that authorities say dates back more than two decades. The potential sentence of 46 years or more reflects the severity with which federal prosecutors view the intersection of nuclear material trafficking, explosive possession by a felon, and child exploitation crimes.

Timeline

A 2002 search of Jacob D. Miller’s residence recovered an apparent rocket launcher, a pipe bomb, and video of him setting off improvised explosive devices. Jacob D. Miller was convicted in 2004 of possessing child pornography and possessing an explosive device. Jacob D. Miller sold plutonium to 67 customers in the U.S. and abroad between December 2020 and March 2025.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts stated that "Miller has exhibited a long-standing and unlawful obsession with explosives, dangerous chemicals and radioactive substances dating back to at least 2002." The state of Massachusetts warned Jacob D. Miller in April 2025 about the alleged sale of depleted uranium on eBay. Authorities found child sexual abuse material on Jacob D. Miller’s laptop and cellphone.

An April 2025 search of Jacob D. Miller’s residence recovered rifles, explosive powder, and ammunition. Jacob D. Miller pleaded guilty to importing nuclear material without lawful authority.

What's New

In 2014, the Massachusetts Radiation Control Program issued a cease-and-desist order to Jacob D. Miller for allegedly selling depleted uranium on eBay. Between June and October 2023, Jacob D. Miller recorded at least five PayPal transactions for the sale of plutonium, according to prosecutors. In April 2025, after prison, Miller was warned by the state of Massachusetts about the alleged sale of depleted uranium on eBay.

In 2023, Jacob D. Miller allegedly asked an associate to purchase five pounds of black powder for use in creating a fireball to destroy a dishwasher in his backyard. Jacob D. Miller was previously convicted in Hampshire Superior Court of two counts of possession of an explosive device.