ST. PAUL - A 46-year-old Willmar man pleaded guilty Thursday, Aug, 16, to three federal weapons charges stemming from two searches of his Wilmar properties early this year, which turned up a wide array of machine guns, shotguns, rifles and pipe bombs.
While Chad Lee Monson, who also had made threats about a judge and prosecutor, was originally charged in Kandiyohi County. However, his case was moved to the federal court system when a federal grand jury indicted Monson on the 18 weapons charges in June.
As part of Thursday's plea agreement, Monson pleaded guilty to one count of knowingly possessing a machine gun, one count of possession of a unregistered destructive device for having a pipe bomb and one count of possession of unregistered silencer, court documents said.
Monson was placed in the custody of the U.S. Marshals following the plea hearing, according to court documents. His sentencing is still to be scheduled.
Monson was arrested following the initial search of his rural residential property near Willmar on Jan. 30. His business property was searched Feb. 21. Both searches turned up a collection of firearms and explosives.
Due to prior convictions, Monson is not supposed to own or possess firearms.
Court documents said that prior to the searches of his property, Monson allegedly told an individual that he located the residence of a judge, a prosecutor, and another attorney and intended to use or "plant" explosives in or near those persons' vehicles or homes.
