Federal authorities have launched a major investigation into a rowhouse in Philadelphia’s Olney neighborhood after the arrest of 44-year-old Eugene Albert Horsch, a convicted felon identified with a fake DEA badge, multiple firearms with obliterated serial numbers, crack cocaine, and a basement that police described as a makeshift laboratory filled with dangerous chemicals.
The case began on June 19, 2026, when a U.S. Park Ranger spotted a black BMW parked near a fire hydrant along the 600 block of Market Street near Independence Mall, as disclosed by FOX29.
Extra officers were deployed in the area due to the World Cup match in South Philly.
The ranger approached the vehicle after hearing a disturbance.
The woman with him was carrying identification bearing her photo, but the name of a woman disclosed missing since 2023.
Horsch, a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms, was taken into custody on weapons and drug charges.
Deputy Philadelphia Police Commissioner Frank Vanore stated that some of the chemical materials could have been explosive if combined, based on KYW Newsradio.
“From what I have been told, if some of those chemical materials were to be put together, they would have been explosive,” Vanore remarked.
Cops and federal agents have described the basement setup as one of the strangest they’ve seen.
The FBI’s Major Case Team from Quantico has been brought in to catalog and analyze the chemicals. The bureau is now leading aspects of the ongoing investigation.
Horsch has a lengthy criminal record, including multiple prior drug charges. Earlier this year, he was apprehended and charged with stabbing a man in the stomach. Those charges were later withdrawn by the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office after a witness failed to appear.
This is the same Soros-backed DA’s office that The Gateway Pundit has extensively documented for its soft-on-crime policies, repeated clashes with federal immigration enforcement, and failure to hold violent offenders accountable in a city already plagued by brazen daylight heists, carjackings, and drug-fueled violence.
As we have disclosed previously, Philadelphia continues to suffer under progressive leadership that prioritizes criminals over law-abiding citizens.
Horsch’s attorney has argued that many of the chemicals belonged to his late father and will ultimately be deemed harmless. Investigators are not taking that at face value.
For now, Horsch remains in custody on gun and drug charges with bail set at $500,000. The FBI investigation is active and expanding.
