MOSCOW, July 11 (RAPSI) – Russian national Vladislav Miftakhov, 18, a Penn State Altoona student from San Carlos, California, has pleaded guilty to the charge of making bombs without a federal license, AP writes.
A deal between federal prosecutors in Johnstown and Miftakhov came after months of negotiations with his federal public defender. The defense claimed Miftakhov only meant to create noise with the explosives, not mayhem.
Miftakhov is scheduled for sentencing December 11 in Johnstown before US District Judge Kim Gibson. The charge of manufacturing an explosive device without a license carries up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years’ probation.
Miftakhov, who has a residence permit and has lived in the US for 14 years, was arrested on January 24 after the landlord of his apartment, about 85 miles east of Pittsburgh, tipped off police that Miftakhov was growing marijuana. Police found bomb-making materials in his apartment, including an unexploded device containing about a half-pound of volatile chemicals.
In February, a court released Miftakhov on $500,000 bail pending trial, but prosecutors appealed the ruling and he remained in jail. Miftakhov and the prosecution reached a plea agreement, but the terms weren’t disclosed in the courtroom Thursday.