FLORENCE —The Mount Croghan teen accused of plotting a suicide bombing at Chesterfield High School two months ago has pleaded not guilty to the three federal charges against him.
Ryan Schallenberger, 18, was arrested April 19 and appeared in federal court Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert L. Buchanan for an arraignment on the charges named in a federal indictment.
Schallenberger’s attorney, Bill Nettles, told Buchanan Schallenberger had reviewed the indictment and had signed a not guilty plea.
Schallenberger is charged in a three-count indictment, handed down May 27, with:
- Receiving and attempting to receive an explosive with the knowledge and intent that it would be used to kill, injure or intimidate an individual and damage and destroy a building, vehicle or other real and personal property. If convicted of this charge, he faces a maximum possible prison term of 10 years.
- Attempting to damage and destroy real property owned, possessed or leased to Chesterfield High School and the Chesterfield County School District, by means of a fire and an explosive. This crime is punishable by a mandatory minimum prison term of five years and a maximum possible term of 20 years.
- Possessing an unregistered destructive device. If convicted of this charge, he faces a maximum possible prison term of 10 years.
Federal prosecutors initially pursued charges against Schallenberger of attempting to use explosives on a building that gets federal funding; using interstate commerce to obtain explosives to property and attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, which carries a possible life sentence.
Once the federal indictment was issued, Nettles and Schallenberger’s other defense attorney, Mike Meetze, filed a motion requiring federal prosecutors to share information they plan to use in the case with the defense.
Schallenberger’s attorneys are generally asking for information the government is planning to introduce at trial which includes police incident reports, witness statements, Schallenberger statements and any forensic testing or physical evidence, Meetze said.
Authorities have said Schallenberger’s parents called police because he had ordered ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer used as in the deadly Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. After authorities were alerted, deputies searched Schallenberger’s home and seized several items, including a hate-filled journal lauding the Columbine killers and an audiotape he left to be played after his death.
Schallenberger also is charged by the state with possession of incendiary devices, 4th Circuit Solicitor Jay Hodge said. If convicted, Schallenberger faces two to 15 years in prison.
U.S. Magistrate Thomas E. Rogers hasn’t said whether he will uphold or overturn his April 30 decision to have Schallenberger evaluated by a psychiatrist in a federal facility.
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