Two Rome men pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal charges of conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction in connection with what prosecutors called a conspiracy to receive and possess pipe bombs and other unregistered explosive devices as part of a militia operation.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Brian Cannon, 37, Cory Williamson, 28, and a third defendant, 45-year-old Terry Peace of Rome, discussed in an online chat room a plan to carry out an operation against the government in February 2014.
"Peace asked a cooperating witness to provide them with 12 pipe bombs and two thermite grenades," the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a 2014 press release. "Peace, Cannon and Williamson subsequently planned to meet with the cooperating witness in order to take possession of the items."
According to the release, the trio drove to Cartersville on Feb. 15, 2014, to meet the witness, who had been provided with 12 inert pipe bombs and two inter thermite, or pyrotechnic, devices “that were constructed to look like real explosives.”
They were arrested by federal agents as they were taking possession of the devices.
Sentencing for Cannon and Williamson, who entered the guilty pleas before U.S. District Judge Harold Murphy, is scheduled for Aug. 7.
Peace has a court appearance scheduled for Thursday.
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