MINNEAPOLIS (KFGO/WCCO) – A 21-year-old Savage man has pleaded guilty in federal court to illegally possessing a machine gun.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, River Smith had confided with an undercover FBI agent on social media late last year that he was preparing for a violent exchange with police.
The Attorney’s Office said Smith also allegedly told the undercover agent that he was “pro mass shooting,” that he sympathized with the Parkland school shooter, and that he admired the suspect charged with shooting up a Colorado LGBTQ nightclub.
Other conversations included the two discussing Smith learning about his “enemy” by watching police body cam shootings online.
A criminal complaint says Smith arranged through a second undercover agent to purchase equipment to convert his AR-15 rifle and Glock handgun into fully-automated machine guns. The release also shared that he attempted to buy three hand grenades.
“The FBI also discovered Smith had access to an AR-style rifle, handguns, body armor, and a Kevlar helmet,” the Attorney’s Office said.
He was arrested in a sting operation.
A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for a later date, the attorney’s office said.