A 22-year-old has been indicted on charges of manufacturing explosives and destroying a mailbox in Douglas County.

Michael A. Vanlerberg, whose city of residence was not made available, is charged with one count of unlawfully manufacturing explosive materials, one count of damaging government property, one count of using explosives to commit a felony and one count of destroying a mailbox. The crimes allegedly occurred Nov. 30, 2007, U.S. Attorney Eric Melgren’s office said.

A federal grand jury returned the indictment this week, a spokesman for Melgren said. The indictment alleged Vanlerberg “willfully and maliciously injured and destroyed” the mailbox. The exact location of the alleged crime was not made available.

If convicted of all charges, Vanlerberg faces 43 years in federal prison and $1 million in fines, according to a news release from Melgren’s office.

The United States Postal Inspection Service, Lawrence Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case, said Jim Cross, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney.

The Lawrence Journal-World reported on a Nov. 30, 2007, explosion at 4:30 a.m. in the 3400 block of West 24th Street. Lawrence police said a mailbox on a post was destroyed and a nearby vehicle was damaged. No one was injured.