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SAN DIEGO - A man who possessed what prosecutors described as an 'arsenal' of illegal weapons, which police discovered while investigating allegations that his teenage son threatened to shoot up Rancho Bernardo High School, was sentenced Friday to two years of probation.
Neal James Anders, 47, was convicted by a San Diego jury of nearly three dozen felony and misdemeanor counts related to the manufacture and possession of assault weapons and destructive devices.San Diego police said that after investigating reports of a verbal threat to commit a school shooting in January of 2024, a gun violence restraining order and search warrant were obtained, leading officers to search Anders' home and a storage unit.Prosecutors say nearly two dozen unregistered guns were discovered, as well as thousands of rounds of ammunition -- including incendiary rounds known as 'Dragon's breath' -- and items that can be used to assemble firearms.Deputy District Attorney Spencer Sharpe sought a prison term of four years, but wrote in sentencing documents that Anders faced a much higher maximum exposure of between 27 and 29 years.The prosecutor said Anders claimed through his trial testimony that he was unaware of California's assault weapons laws despite being an admitted firearms enthusiast who assembled many of the weapons investigators found.Superior Court Judge Lisa Rodriguez agreed that it was 'very difficult to believe' Anders wasn't familiar with the state's gun laws or would have at least educated himself on those laws.But while prosecutors have previously alleged that Anders' son told other students that he could access the guns, Rodriguez said the guns were properly stored and inaccessible to others.She also said there wasn't evidence to show he was involved in illegal sales or transfer of the guns and had not engaged in conduct that would show he was a danger to the community.In sentencing Anders to probation, Rodriguez reduced five of the felony counts to misdemeanors, as those specific counts would have required a prison sentence if they remained felonies.As part of his probation terms, Anders was ordered to serve one year of custody through the County Parole and Alternative Custody programs, which provide alternatives to jail sentences such as home detention and work furlough.His felony convictions also mean he can no longer own firearms.Copyright 2026, City News Service, Inc.
Rancho Bernardo High Rancho Bernardo High School Shooting
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