A man arrested after police found an arsenal of high-powered weapons and a map of a U.S. military base in his New Jersey hotel has no apparent ties to terrorism, authorities said Tuesday.
Lloyd R. Woodson, 43, was arraigned on two counts of unlawful possession of weapons, possessing prohibited weapons, possessing large capacity ammunition magazines, two counts of defaced firearms, obstruction of justice and resisting arrest.
Somerset County Judge John Pursel set bail at $75,000.
Woodson appeared angry and withdrawn in court, according to CNN's Deb Feyerick, who attended the arraignment. His hands and feet were shackled and he was escorted by two guards. Woodson kept his head down and barely acknowledged the judge, except for responding "yes" when asked if he understood English.
FBI special agent Bryan L. Travers said in a statement Tuesday that preliminary findings indicate that Woodson has no ties to known terrorist groups or a specific terrorism plot.
Federal investigators from the FBI and ATF continue to assist local law enforcement, and federal gun charges against Woodson may be considered, according to the statement.
Woodson, of Virginia, was arrested Monday after police responded to a call about a suspicious man in the Quick Chek convenience store in Branchburg, New Jersey, said local prosecutor Wayne J. Forrest.
Michael Murphy, the senior vice president for Quick Chek, said the employee who called 911 "prevented a bad situation and possible tragedy down the road."
The company is protecting the employee's identity for safety reasons, he said.
Murphy said Woodson did not buy anything in the store and may have drawn suspicion because he looked like he wanted to shoplift.
When officers arrived, Woodson ran into the woods. He was subdued after wrestling with officers, the statement said.
During the struggle, officers noticed that Woodson was wearing a bulletproof vest and carrying an assault rifle in his coat. Officers searched Woodson's hotel room and found another assault rifle, a grenade launcher, a police scanner, another bulletproof vest, a map of a U.S. military base, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and a Middle Eastern-style headdress, the statement said.
Woodson spent a brief time in the U.S. Navy, according to Navy spokesman Lt. Justin Cole. In February 1988 Woodson served on board the submarine tender USS Orion, Cole told CNN. He deserted eight months later, Cole said.
Woodson was taken into Navy custody in 1996 and discharged a month afterward, Cole added.
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