Minnesota man accused of assembling an arsenal to attack police is sentenced to nearly 7 years

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minnesota man accused of assembling an arsenal of illegal weapons to use against police has been sentenced to nearly seven years in federal prison. Twenty-one-year-old River William Smith pleaded guilty last May to one count of possession of a machine gun — specifically devices to convert guns to fully automatic fire. Prosecutors say Smith idolized mass shooters, while his defense attorney countered that the government’s accusations were wildly exaggerated. U.S. District Judge Doty rejected the government’s request at Tuesday’s hearing for the maximum sentence of 10 years but called Smith’s behavior “egregious.” Smith’s attorney plans to appeal the sentence.