"Boogaloo' member sentenced to 3 years on weapons charges

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A self-described member of an anti-government extremist group accused of taking advantage of the unrest after George Floyd’s killing to raise money for the movement was sentenced Thursday to three years in federal prison.

Michael Robert Solomon, 31, of New Brighton, Minnesota, admitted to selling silencers and other firearm components to FBI informants he believed were members of the Hamas terror group. Solomon is one of several men charged in Minnesota to be identified as members of the “boogaloo” movement.

Federal prosecutors had originally recommended a 20-year sentence for Solomon but lowered that request to 10 years because of his cooperation with law enforcement. Information from Solomon led authorities to shut down a West Virginia operation that sold devices to convert semi-automatic firearms into unlawful fully automatic firearms.

U.S. District Judge Michael Davis compared Solomon’s case to those of other terrorism cases that have been sentenced, all at a lower level than prosecutors wanted, the Star Tribune reported.

“Even if you are a bad guy,” he said, speaking directly to Solomon, “there are other bad guys out there that are doing way less time.”

Floyd, a Black man who was handcuffed, died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck. His death sparked protests in Minneapolis and around the world.