WASHINGTON (AP) — A man who police said was inspired by false internet rumors to fire an assault weapon inside a Washington pizzeria has pleaded guilty to two charges.
During a hearing Friday in U.S. District Court in Washington, Edgar Maddison Welch pleaded guilty to interstate transportation of a firearm and assault with a dangerous weapon. Prosecutors will drop a third charge, possessing a firearm during a crime of violence.
Authorities say Welch fired multiple shots inside the Comet Ping Pong restaurant Dec. 4, after driving from North Carolina to investigate a conspiracy theory about Democrats harboring child sex slaves. No one was injured.
The sentencing guidelines are 18 to 24 months for interstate transportation and 18 to 60 months for the assault charge. Sentencing was set for June 22.
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