Rancho Bernardo parent pleads not guilty to weapons felonies after son allegedly threatened school shooting
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The father accused of possessing illegal weapons in connection with a Rancho Bernardo High School threat, Neal Anders, made his first court appearance Thursday.
“At this time Mr. Anders enters a plea of not-guilty to all the charges,” said Gregory Garrison, attorney for Anders.
Anders, 45, pleaded not guilty to 13 felony charges, including possessing and manufacturing assault weapons. Prosecutors said on Friday a group of Rancho Bernardo High School students reported Anders’ 14-year-old son told classmates to not go to school Tuesday because he was bringing guns, because of the “ease of access.”
Garrison said that was not true.
“Every firearm seized from Mr. Anders home was in a locked, hard-cited firearms case. At no time did any of the minors either the children of Anders family or any minors have access to any of those firearms,” Garrison argued. “But the ones that were seized, your honor, were stored in accordance to all state laws and all local ordinances.”
After a preliminary investigation police booked the freshman into Juvenile Hall, then issued a Gun Violence Restraining Order against the student.
Inside the family’s current and former home, plus a storage facility, prosecutors said, police found 29 assault weapons.
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The arsenal of guns included 19 AR style rifles, nine of which were not serialized, numerous Glock pistols, magazines, mechanical drill presses, various ammunition such as “dragons breathe rounds, which is an ammunition that’s capable of firing a 200 yard wall of fire,” said Roza Egiazarian, San Diego County deputy district attorney.
“Shop and parts rifle uppers, lowers, other 3D printers, flamethrowers, build your own rifle kits, box with AK 47 uppers, armored vest, gas masks, six unserialized AK lower receivers, 10 unserialized lower receivers and more concerning multiple countless manuals on not only how to assemble firearms, but how to assemble unserialized firearms, as well as how you create incendiary material,” Egiazarian said.
Garrison argued the ammunition and body armor are “all legal.”
Egiazarian said they believe someone moved that 3D printers from the home to a storage facility.
A judge set Anders bail at $300,000. He is due back in court on Feb. 6 for a bail review.
“This is obviously concerning given the shear quantity of weapons legal and illegal in the possession of one individual,” Egiazarian said.
Anders is not being accused of threatening to commit a school shooting. FOX 5 learned in court Anders is a military contractor with special military clearance, however, that is still being investigated in relations to the type of weapons. Anders faces three years in prison if convicted.
There is no information available about his son because he is a minor.
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