Willmar Man Charged With Illegal Possession of Explosive Devices and a Firearm
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Willmar man has been indicted for illegally possessing two explosive devices and a short-barreled shotgun, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on November 20, 2021, Brian Keith Kohls, 39, illegally possessed a short-barreled shotgun and two explosive bombs, none of which were registered to him under the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Kohls is also charged with being an unlawful user of controlled substances and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms.
Kohls is charged with one count of possession of unregistered destructive devices, one count of possession of an unregistered short-barreled shotgun, and one count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of controlled substances. If convicted, he faces a potential maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Kohls made his initial appearance yesterday in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Becky R. Thorson. Kohls was ordered to remain in custody pending a formal detention hearing on October 20, 2022.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Willmar Police Department, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the St. Cloud Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ruth S. Shnider is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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