A U.S. Coast Guard lieutenant accused of stockpiling weapons and planning mass killings that prosecutors said was “on a scale rarely seen in this country” will likely plead guilty in federal court Thursday, VOA news reports.
Officials say Christopher Paul Hasson had amassed 15 guns, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, silencers and hand grenades and had drawn up a hit list of 15 prominent Democrats and journalists, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and presidential candidates Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker and Kamala Harris. He was arrested at his Maryland home in February.
Police also found 100 pills of the opioid Tramadol and 30 bottles of human growth hormone.
Prosecutors have not charged Hasson of terrorism, instead they have filed charges on unlawful possession of silencers and two counts of possession of a controlled substance as well as possession of a firearm by an unlawful user or addict.
Officials say they began investigating Hasson after being alerted to searches on his work computer at the Coast Guard headquarters in Washington.
He remains on active duty until the case is resolved.