It would be easy to mistake Jacob D. Miller for a passionate science hobbyist, the kind of person who proudly displays glass jars of exotic elements and talks for hours about the periodic table. From the outside, his business, “Collect The Periodic Table,” appeared to cater to curious collectors eager to own a small vial of something rare and fascinating. But federal prosecutors paint a very different picture of the 44-year-old Massachusetts man, one that involves radioactive plutonium secretly imported from Russia, highly toxic poisons sent through the U.S. mail, and a disturbing history of child sexual abuse material. In a case that blends international security risks with deeply troubling personal crimes, Miller pleaded guilty to a bundle of serious federal charges, including illegally importing nuclear material, mailing hazardous substances, possessing ammunition and explosives as a convicted felon, and possessing child pornography. His arrest in April 2025 and subsequent grand jury indictment signaled the end of a years-long operation that allegedly put dangerous materials into the hands of dozens of buyers across America and around the world, all while Miller was supposed to be under court supervision for earlier crimes.
Miller’s criminal history stretches back more than two decades, and it is essential to understanding how seriously the system viewed him long before the latest charges. In February 2004, he was convicted in Massachusetts state court on charges involving child pornography and the possession of an explosive device. For the child pornography case, he received seven years of probation, and in a separate case involving two counts of possessing an explosive device, he was sentenced to two and a half years in jail followed by ten years of probation. Those were significant sentences, but they did not stop him from building a new enterprise once he was free. Rather than staying far away from dangerous materials, he went in the opposite direction. He launched a company that sold element samples, including plutonium, a highly radioactive substance that poses serious health threats, and thallium, a heavy metal that is extremely toxic to humans. At first glance, collecting elements may seem like a harmless educational pursuit, but selling materials like these requires strict regulation, licensing, and safety precautions. By bypassing all of those safeguards, Miller allegedly created a marketplace where hazardous substances could be bought by anyone with an internet connection, raising alarm among law enforcement and national security officials.
The mechanics of Miller’s alleged scheme are as alarming as they are brazen. According to prosecutors, he imported plutonium from Russia and had it mailed directly to his home in Massachusetts, treating one of the most dangerous materials on Earth like an ordinary online purchase. Between late December 2020 and the end of March 2025, he sold plutonium to roughly 67 customers in the United States and other countries. To complete those transactions, he used the U.S. mail, even though plutonium is classified as a hazardous substance and is prohibited from being shipped through the post. The dangers of plutonium are well documented; exposure can cause severe health damage, including an increased risk of cancer, and the material is also a potential ingredient in radiological dispersal devices, commonly known as “dirty bombs.” The thought of such material traveling through the mail to unidentified buyers is enough to make anyone’s blood run cold. But plutonium was not the only poison in his catalog. Between October 2017 and April 2025, Miller reportedly sold thallium to about 71 different customers, using both his own website and the third-party online marketplace Bonanza to advertise and process orders. Thallium is so toxic that it has been used as a rat poison, and even small amounts can cause hair loss, organ failure, and death. Shipping that kind of substance through standard postal services is not just illegal; it is a profound disregard for public safety.
The case became even more disturbing when investigators searched Miller’s residence in April 2025. Inside his home, they found a box containing bottles of explosive powder, multiple rounds of ammunition, and six firearms. Because Miller was a convicted felon, federal law prohibited him from possessing any of these items. Ammunition and explosives in the hands of someone with his record are a hazard in any context, and the combination with radioactive and toxic materials made the scene a nightmare for law enforcement. Even more troubling was what investigators discovered on his electronic devices. A laptop and cell phone were found to contain child sexual abuse material, and prosecutors say Miller had opened that material as recently as the day before the search warrant was executed. This detail reveals a pattern of behavior that goes far beyond reckless curiosity or poor judgment; it speaks to a person who repeatedly disregarded the law and the wellbeing of others. The count of possession of child pornography is itself a serious felony, but when combined with the weapons, explosives, and radioactive substances, it paints a picture of a man whose life is marked by a disturbing and dangerous set of habits. Federal prosecutors took care to include every charge in the plea agreement, ensuring that Miller would be held accountable for the full scope of his alleged conduct.
Miller’s guilty plea covers five specific felony counts: being a felon in possession of ammunition, being a felon in possession of explosive materials, importing nuclear material without lawful authority, mailing hazardous materials, and possession of child pornography. Each charge carries its own potential penalties, and together they represent a complex legal effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts to bring him to justice. His sentencing is scheduled for January 21, and he has remained in federal custody since his arrest in April 2025. Throughout the legal process, authorities have emphasized the seriousness of his actions, particularly the danger posed by his illegal importation and distribution of plutonium. Beyond the obvious national security implications, there is a human dimension to this case that is easy to overlook. The customers who bought these materials may have been collectors, researchers, or people with entirely innocent intentions, but they were given no clear guidance on how to handle radioactive substances safely. The postal workers who handled the packages, the neighbors who lived nearby, and the children whose abuse material was found on Miller’s devices are all victims in different ways. His sentencing could serve as a warning to others who think that selling dangerous materials online is a clever side business rather than a serious crime.
At its core, this story is a sobering reminder that not everyone who walks into a courtroom is what they first appear to be. Jacob D. Miller built a brand around the wonders of science and the joy of collecting the building blocks of the universe. Yet the same impulse that led him to sell samples of plutonium and thallium also led him to break the law in ways that endangered his community and beyond. The fact that he had prior convictions for child pornography and explosive devices made his actions not just reckless but contemptuous of the legal system that gave him a chance at probation and rehabilitation. Instead of using that chance to rebuild his life, he allegedly used it to build a business selling hazardous materials and to continue consuming horrific content. Now, with his guilty plea, he faces a future behind bars, and the public can only hope that the sentence reflects the seriousness of his crimes. The case also raises important questions about how easily dangerous materials can cross international borders and end up in private hands, and how individuals with criminal backgrounds may exploit legitimate-looking online platforms to carry out illegal sales. For the people of Massachusettshare, for the investigators, and for the children and parents affected by child sexual abuse material, this case is not just a headline; it is a reminder of the hidden threats that sometimes live behind ordinary doorschers on quiet streets. When the judge hands downsentence in January, the decision will send a message about accountability, the value of public safety, and the willingness of the judicial system to confront both international dangers and the deepest forms of personal violation.
