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Teen Accused Of Plotting To Bomb School Pleads Guilty To Explosives Charge

WASECA, Minn. (WCCO) — The teenager accused of planning to bomb his school, to kill as many students as possible and his parents, took an unexpected plea deal Friday.

John LaDue, 18, of Waseca pleaded guilty Friday afternoon to possession of an explosive or incendiary device. Five other counts against him were dismissed.

"I think John is relieved," defense attorney Steve Bergeson said. "I'm happy that he's going to be able to move on and that we were able to reach a reasonable resolution with the prosecutor finally."

LaDue was arrested last year after police say they found bomb-making materials in a storage locker. They also found his journal, which outlined plans to kill family members and attack Waseca Junior-Senior High School. He talked about it with police.

"My plans were to enter and throw Molotov cocktails and pipe bombs and destroy everyone, and then when the SWAT comes, I would destroy myself," LaDue said.

LaDue admitted during an interview with investigators he considers himself mentally ill, something he had been trying to hide. And now, following a recommendation from psychologists, he will go from jail to a long-term secured Autism Spectrum Disorder facility.

He had first been charged in spring 2014 — at age 17 — with attempted murder and attempted first-degree damage to property, but those charges were eventually dismissed.

The Waseca County Attorney's Office said they have always taken the actions and intentions of LaDue seriously.

When the attempted murder charges were dropped last year, Brenda Miller said the possibility of a long prison sentence was gone.

"It is our belief that this plea offer is the best outcome possible, under the circumstances, to ensure public safety," she said.

LaDue will be on probation and will transition to a halfway house after the treatment facility.

"John is very unique in the sense of how nonviolent he is," David LaDue, John's dad, said. "Most people I've known that have been on probation, five years is more like a 10- or 12-year sentence because they do violate or people they know violate and they get a ticket or it ends up spiraling for them. I think uniquely John won't be that person."

LaDue will be on probation for at least five years, but not more than 10.

A judge will make that decision on Oct. 19. Until then LaDue will be in the Waseca County jail.

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