Florida woman found with 24 pipe bombs pleads guilty to avoid jail, focus on mental health
Authorities found 24 homemade bombs filled with nails, screws and pellets in the bedroom of Michelle Kolts
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A Florida woman who was found with 24 homemade pipe bombs and a hit list pleaded guilty Wednesday to avoid prison, and will instead receive mental health treatment.
Michelle Kolts pleaded guilty in a Tampa courtroom to reduce charges following her 2019 arrest. She was originally charged with 24 counts of making, possessing and discharging a destructive device.
"Twenty-four months of community control followed by 15 years probation," prosecutor Lindsey Hodges said, Fox Tampa reported.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}SPANISH JUDGE SENDS SUSPECT IN CHURCH SLAYINGS TO PSYCHIATRIC CENTER
Michelle Kolts in a Tampa courtroom. She pleaded guilty to making 24 pipe bombs to avoid jail time to instead receive mental health treatment. (WTVT)
Authorities found 24 homemade bombs in Kolts' bedroom in the home she shared with her parents in October 2019. The devices were filled with nails, screws, and pellets, along with materials to make more bombs, and books about terrorist bombings. Also found was a hit list.
Kolts was arrested on charges that could have landed her in prison for 100 years. However, in 2019, she was found unfit to stand trial following years of mental health evaluations and treatment. She was eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Her mental health treatment will include counseling at an in-house facility. There will be no record of a criminal conviction as well.
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"She's not going to suffer the stigma of a conviction on any of those counts as long as she stays crime free and abides by the terms of her probation," Kolts' attorney, Barry Taracks, said.