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Climo was arraigned Friday on allegations he had bomb-making materials, which the FBI-led Joint Terrorism Task Force said it found in his home, the complaint states. The alleged crime is possession of an unregistered firearm.
CNN has reached out to his attorney. His mother declined to comment.
“Threats of violence motivated by hate and intended to intimidate or coerce our faith-based and LGBTQ communities have no place in this country,” said US Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada.
“Law enforcement in Nevada remains determined to use the full weight of our investigative resources to prevent bias-motivated violence before it happens. I commend our partners who identified the threat and took swift and appropriate action to ensure justice and protect the community.”
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is involved in the prosecution.
Climo faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, the Department of Justice says.
Investigation reveals communications with extremists
The criminal complaint references that episode and says Climo was “carrying an AR-15 style assault rifle, four magazines each containing 30 rounds of ammunition, and wearing a tactical vest.”
He was not arrested or charged in that incident.
A task force of local, state and federal agencies began investigating Climo in April based on his electronic communications with people who identified with a white extremist group, the criminal complaint says.
The group has the goal of “challenging the established laws, social order, and government via terrorism and other violent acts,” according to the complaint. It targets the federal government, “minorities, homosexuals, and Jews,” the complaint says. Members primarily communicate via encrypted chat applications that let users transmit text messages and files on computer, tablet or cell phone.
Climo discussed with an FBI informant making Molotov cocktails and improvised explosive devices and attacking an Las Vegas synagogue “close to his home,” the complaint says.
It also states that he discussed online with an FBI undercover agent conducting surveillance on a bar he saw as serving the LGBTQ community, which the complaint describes only as being downtown near Fremont Street. Climo tried to recruit a homeless man’s assistance in the surveillance of both places, the complaint says.
Climo allegedly told the undercover agent he intended to “further the cause,” which the agent came to believe referred to a “desire to engage in anti-Semitic and Anti-homosexual violent extremism,” according to the complaint.
Investigators also said they found a 2017 posting from Climo on Quora, a general-interest, question-and-answer website, on which he quoted Hitler: “Your most precious possession on this earth is your people!”
In searching Climo’s home Thursday with a warrant, authorities said, they found a notebook with hand-drawn potential attack schematics, as well as drawings of timed explosive devices.
CNN’s Dave Alsup and Sheena Jones contributed to this report.
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