Two federal charges have been dropped against an Arnold man who was found with weapons in his car at the Fox High School campus in Arnold in February.
Dustin Lockwood of Arnold pleaded guilty Oct. 17 to a misdemeanor charge of improperly storing explosive material, according to U.S. Attorney’s Office documents, and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 8.
After Lockwood’s plea, federal charges against him of possessing firearms in a school zone and possessing a silencer were dismissed, according to the documents.
Lockwood’s lawyer, public defender Melissa Goymerac, did not respond to a phone call and an email Monday (Oct. 29) asking for comment.
On Feb. 20, a Fox C-6 School District employee spotted Lockwood, who was 23 at the time, sitting in a 2001 Toyota Corolla parked at the high school with a rifle case in the back of the car, and authorities were called to the school.
Arnold Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives responded and reportedly found a .22-caliber rifle, a .22-caliber revolver and “multiple spent shell casings” in the car, according to the indictment.
In addition, authorities allegedly found what looked like a homemade silencer, multiple knives, a machete, ammunition for .22-caliber and 9mm firearms, and bags and boxes of “explosive-related material” in the car, the report said.
Lockwood reportedly told authorities he was at the school to pick up a family member, and Arnold Police said it did not appear Lockwood was there to “commit any act of violence.”
Fox C-6 Superintendent Jim Wipke said in a letter sent to district families that there were no threats made to the school in connection with the incident. However, the school building was evacuated and evening activities were canceled that day.
Authorities also searched Lockwood’s home and allegedly found “numerous chemicals and bomb-making components,” and the items were seized, the U.S. Attorney’s Office previously reported.
The case was investigated by Arnold Police, the ATF, the St. Louis County Bomb Squad and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rodney H. Holmes is handling the case, the report said.