A Massachusetts man is accused of stockpiling weapons and threatening to kill police, Muslims and President Barack Obama, according to court records.
Joseph Garguilo is also charged with possessing ammunition while under a domestic violence restraining order, according to a criminal complaint filed Sunday in federal court.
A person reported Garguilo to be "unstable and unpredictable," and said that he "hates gays, minorities, and the police," court records show. The complainant, whose name was redacted, also told investigators that Gaarguilo has been using drugs. The complainant "was in fear for her life and for the public."
FBI agents on Friday raided Garguilo's home in Holliston in search of weapons after getting tips from people concerned about his mental state and things he has said.
In a conversation with a witness, he allegedly "made a comment to the effect that when President Obama was on the golf course in Martha's Vineyard, Garguilo should have taken the opportunity to kill him."
During a search of Garguilo's home, agents said they found ammunition, "parts to assemble AR-15 rifles, chemicals that could be combined to create incendiary and/or explosive compounds and materials threatening the commission of violent attacks against members of the Islamic faith." FBI Special Agent Maximilian Fox said a number of loaded magazines and a plastic can full of bullets were found.
According to court documents, Garguilo has had a number of run-ins with law enforcement and has been suspected of several crimes. He is currently under a domestic violence order issued in July in Wrenthan District Court. He was due in court Monday in connection to that order.
A witness told authorities she was worried about Garguilo because he had recently acquired the parts to make an AR-15 and because "he was stockpiling food, water and other weapons, to include Tasers, mace guns, hunting knives and thermite. The tip also reported that Garguilo had stated that 'he will plant bombs in police stations ... and kill as many homeland security officers as he can before they kill him.'"
"According to the report, Garguilo googles how to make bombs and how to kill a person the quickest along with what are of the body makes a person bleed the fastest," the court documents stated.
Garguilo allegedly told a witness he planned to "chain a mosque closed and burn it down … burn every [expletive] down in there" – though no specifics were mentioned.
According to the court documents, a witness also told police "Garguilo believes that the structure of America will collapse and that America is going to enter a state of martial law. According to Garguilo has demonstrated the use of tasers to both children and has deployed them against inanimate objects and on himself."
Agents also recovered quantities of aluminum powder, ammonium nitrate, and iron oxide. These materials can be used to create explosives and incendiaries. 23. Finally, agents also recovered handwritten notes threatening violence against members of the Islamic religion.
Garguilo is not licensed to carry a gun in Massachusetts. In the court documents, agents request a warrant to conduct a more thorough search of his home.
He could face five to 10 years in prison and a fine of $25,000, according to the Department of Justice.
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