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Anson Chi, Plano Bomb Suspect, Indicted By Grand Jury

Anson Chi
Anson Chi. (Credit: Collin County)

PLANO (CBSDFW.COM) –Anson Chi, the man who was arrested in connection with a bomb that went off near a gas main line last month, has been indicted.

A federal grand jury charged Anson Chi with possession of an unregistered firearm Wednesday morning. The charge carries a maximum 10 year punishment if convicted.

Last week, a federal judge ordered Chi held without bail despite the lack of an indictment. During the July 6 hearing, a federal agent testified that Chi admitted to placing a bottle of explosive metal nitrate he made at home on top of a natural gas main on Parker Road in Plano.

Because of this, the judge ruled Chi a danger to the community and he was locked away.

Chi said the bomb blew before he planned it to, seriously injuring his eyes, arms and hands in the process. When he was picked up by police hours later, he told them he was hit by a car while jogging.

Police found him bloody and covered in a sheet in a residential neighborhood between Coit Road and Independence Parkway, not far from the gas main.

The FBI spent nearly two days searching the home of Chi's parents, where he lived. Chi's mother told the judge she didn't realize her son had harmful chemicals in her home; she said she believed one of the liquids was wine and her son was making soup.

The agent also testified that Chi said in the hospital that he would set off another explosive device if given the chance. The agent said Chi told him he was tired of "armchair activists" and that he wanted to prove he was a real one.

Videos found online after Chi was identified as a suspect show him railing against the IRS, even tearing up a W-2 form on camera.

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