Plano Man Admits To Trying To Blow Up Gas Main
COLLIN COUNTY (CBSDFW.COM) - The man accused of planning to set off a homemade bomb near a gas pipeline in Plano has admitted to the crime.
Just hours before a pretrial hearing was to begin, Anson Chi agreed to a sentence of 22 years for trying to blow up the gas main at West Parker and Coit Road, in Plano last June.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shamoil Shipchandler said Chi admitted to two of the three charges against him. "The first offense that he pled guilty to was possessing a destructive device, the second one was attempting to blow up a pipeline in Plano."
The third charge, carrying a destructive device during a crime of violence, was dismissed.
The now 34-year-old Chi admitted to planting the explosive device that went off early, exploded in his face and caused a smaller explosion that rocked a nearby neighborhood. He lay injured, with burn to his eyes, arms and hands, near the exposed gas line until police arrived.
At the time of the explosion, Chi was living with his parents in Plano.
Since Chi made the plea agreement on federal charges there will be no chance for parole. "He is agreeing to plead to a total of 22 years in prison, which under the federal system he'll serve all of that 22 years,' explained Shipchandler. "On count one, the way it was constructed, it was a two-year sentence, running concurrently with count two, which carries a 20-year sentence.
A federal judge still has to give final approval on the plea deal.
During past court hearings and testimony some described Chi as an anti-government zealot with anger issues. In the years leading up to the explosion, his lashing out against what he called government oppression included Facebook postings criticizing the Federal Reserve.
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