Buford "Bucky" Rogers, arrested a year ago in what the FBI called a major terrorist plot, was sentenced to three years and four months in prison on Monday in Minneapolis after U.S. District Judge Ann Montgomery pressed a federal prosecutor to assure her there was no terrorist conspiracy after all.
Montgomery noted that Rogers' arrest in Montevideo, Minn., was a national news story that drew "an inordinate amount of pretrial publicity" for what eventually became an "ordinary" crime of illegal possession of two explosive devices and a firearm.
"I don't think you are a terrorist or part of a conspiracy," Montgomery told Rogers, who was dressed in a checkered short-sleeved shirt, dark pants and orange jail sandals.
Speaking barely above a whisper, Rogers said he felt bad that his conduct had hurt his family.
His father, mother, brother and girlfriend arrived late and sat in a back row. They had no comment afterward.
Rogers has already served a year in jail, which will be counted as part of his sentence. He could be out of prison in another year and a half if he gets time off for good behavior and is allowed to move to a halfway house, according to his attorney, Andrew Mohring.
Federal prosecutors Andrew Winter and Charles Kovats Jr. had sought a five-year, three-month sentence, while Mohring asked for two years. Montgomery said she chose a sentence in between, noting that while he was not involved in a terrorist plot, he had a history of weapons violations.
Time to pay attention
Having served little time for past arrests, he had not learned his lesson, she said.
