Massachusetts felon pleads guilty after DOJ says he sold Russian plutonium to 67 customers
Jacob D. Miller, a 44-year-old Massachusetts felon, pleaded guilty to illegally importing plutonium from Russia and selling it, along with hazardous thallium, to customers in the United States and abroad. The case also includes guilty pleas for possessing ammunition and explosive materials as a felon, mailing hazardous substances and possessing child sexual abuse material.
Prosecutors say Miller sold plutonium to about 67 customers between December 2020 and March 2025, and thallium to about 71 customers from October 2017 to April 2025, shipping both through the US mail. A search of his home in April 2025 uncovered firearms, ammunition and explosive powder; investigators also found child sexual abuse material on his laptop and phone. He has been in federal custody since his arrest, and sentencing is scheduled for 21 January.
- Miller admitted importing and selling Russian plutonium.
- Prosecutors say he sold it to about 67 customers.
- Sentencing is scheduled for 21 January.
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Jacob Miller is a Massachusetts man with a criminal record who operated an illegal scheme importing plutonium from Russia and selling hazardous thallium to customers across the United States and internationally. Plutonium is a highly dangerous radioactive material used in nuclear weapons and reactors, and its illegal trafficking poses a serious security concern.
According to federal prosecutors, Miller sold plutonium to approximately 67 customers between December 2020 and March 2025, and distributed thallium to roughly 71 customers over a longer period since 2017, using the postal system to ship both materials. A search of his home in April 2025 uncovered firearms and explosive materials that he illegally possessed as a convicted felon, as well as child sexual abuse material on his electronic devices.
The case reveals significant gaps in preventing the illegal trafficking of nuclear and hazardous materials within the United States. These breaches could potentially allow dangerous substances to reach unauthorised individuals, raising concerns about both public health and national security.