A man pleaded guilty to explosives and weapons charges stemming from the discovery of a huge cache of guns and ammunition when his home caught fire early this month.
Thomas McKiernan, 62, of Norco, admitted to possession of explosives, possession of an assault weapon and resisting arrest in a plea deal Tuesday that saved him from two additional assault-weapons possession charges.
“We didn’t prosecute him for having a gun collection. We prosecuted him for storing volatile materials,” Deputy District Attorney Michael Mayman said.
Authorities responding to the blaze at McKiernan’s home on March 1 found more than 1 million rounds of ammunition, numerous weapons and a tunnel stocked with barrels of food and water.
He was initially arrested after wrestling with firefighters as they tried to keep him out of his burning house.
McKiernan’s home was condemned after the fire and is set to be razed, his attorney, Michael Cernyar, said.
