Former Cornell Student Pleas Guilty to Federal Firearms Carges

A former Cornell University student has entered a guilty plea to two federal firearms offenses. 21-year-old Max Reynolds of Rumsen, New Jersey. The charges relate to his possession of a sawed-off Savage MSR-15 Patrol Rifle, a bomb, and a silencer. As part of his guilty plea, he admitted that he gave another student money to purchase the rifle. Reynolds later cut down the barrel, making it illegal to possess. He also admitted that he possessed a bomb and a silencer seized from his apartment in Ithaca by Federal Agents and Ithaca Police on March 7th. In pleading guilty, he also admitted that he possessed a .25 caliber semiautomatic pistol with an obliterated serial number that was recovered by New York State Police divers from a canal on the south end of Cayuga Lake. At the time of his arrest, Reynolds was a part-time student at Tompkins-Cortland Community College. He was previously enrolled as a full-time student at Cornell University, but was on an academic leave of absence. As part of his guilty plea yesterday, he agreed to forfeit the bomb, the silencer, the pistol, 917 rounds of .223 ammunition, 135 shotgun shells, 2 bullet-proof vests, a laser sight, ball bearings, a gas mask, chemicals of various kinds, and other items seized during the investigation. The US Attorney made no comment on the purpose or intended use of the arsenal. Reynolds faces a sentence of 10 years in prison.