(AP) – A former U.S. Army explosives expert has admitted in
federal court that he illegally possessed grenades that authorities say were
among a cache of explosives found in his Kansas home.
Forty-two-year-old John Panchalk of Overland Park pleaded guilty Monday in
Kansas City, Kansas, to possessing two M-67 fragmentation grenades unregistered
to him.
Federal prosecutors say they’ll recommend probation.
Panchalk caught investigators’ attention in May when police responding to a
report of a stolen vehicle at a Parkville, Missouri, self-storage site found
storage trailers vandalized. One of them, later linked to Panchalk, contained
explosives that included ammunition canisters, blasting caps, C-4 explosives and
military grenade simulators.
A search of Panchalk’s home uncovered 38 pounds of C-4 explosive, detonation
cord, blasting caps, grenade simulators, incendiary devices and the two
fragmentation grenades.
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