Massachusetts Resident Admits Importing and Selling Russian Radioactive Material

Jacob D. Miller, 44, of South Hadley, Massachusetts, entered a guilty plea for importing nuclear material from Russia without legal authority and for several felonies, including unlawful possession of ammunition, explosives, hazardous mail, and child pornography. Prosecutors highlighted his prior 2004 conviction for child pornography and an explosive device, as well as a 2002 raid that uncovered a pipe bomb and a homemade rocket launcher.

After release, Miller launched Collect The Periodic Table, selling chemical element samples such as plutonium and thallium from his home and via a third-party retailer, shipping to 67 domestic and international buyers between late 2020 and early 2025. A 2025 search revealed rifles, explosive powder, and additional child sexual abuse material. He used the U.S. Postal Service to mail prohibited radioactive material. The case will be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni on Jan. 21, 2027, with a possible sentence of 46 years or more, depending on how the charges are stacked.