Matthew Henry Jacober, 44, of Bakersfield, has pleaded guilty to charges of being a felon in possession of explosives and manufacturing crystal methamphetamine, according to U.S. Attorney Eric Grant.
Court documents state that in July 2025, Jacober was found with 50 pounds of dynamite hidden in a cave located about 10 to 15 feet from the travel trailer where he lived. Jacober had previously been convicted in Kern County Superior Court in 2021 for making a destructive device without a permit, which is a felony. As a result of this conviction, he was barred from possessing explosives. Authorities also discovered that Jacober was actively manufacturing crystal methamphetamine inside his trailer, where both finished methamphetamine and material undergoing conversion from liquid to crystal were present.
The investigation into Jacober’s activities involved the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with support from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Kern County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad; and the Kern County Fire Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is leading the prosecution.
Jacober is scheduled for sentencing before U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on February 17, 2026. He faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for illegally possessing explosives. For manufacturing methamphetamine, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison along with a potential $5 million fine. The court will determine the final sentence after considering statutory factors and Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
