A Pierce County, Washington man was sentenced to a four-year prison term for unlawful possession of a myriad of weapons, including a machinegun, after being arrested at a Fife auto glass shop last October, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Tacoma reported. The 39-year-old Brady Lee Eltz has been behind bars since the October 31, 2023, federal arrest following an incident that initially started with auto glass repair but quickly spiraled into a discovery that may very well read like a crime novel synopsis.

The saga began on October 4, 2023, when workers at a Fife auto glass shop did not just have to contend with repairing a bullet-riddled car, but also stumbled upon firearms in the trunk of the vehicle brought in by Eltz. Their discovery triggered an urgent call to the Fife Police, who arrived to confront a scene straight out of an action film. Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo, during the sentencing, noted, "This conduct is not only serious but alarming to read about and see," as stated by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Washington. The Judge further added, "You possessed very dangerous weapons. It’s unclear what your motivation was."

Evidence of Eltz's ill-intent surfaced when law enforcement conducted a sweep of the auto shop and discovered two loaded firearms - one a Glock modified to fire automatically with a stolen "auto-sear" device, effectively transforming it into a machinegun, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. The urgency of the situation escalated when, during a warranted search, police unearthed not only more guns from Eltz's vehicle but also two improvised explosive devices, one being a military-grade explosive simulator. The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office was swiftly brought in to neutralize the potential threat.

Further investigation by police revealed an alarming arsenal. In addition to the guns and explosives, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, latex face masks, body armor, gun sights, and other accessories were confiscated from the trunk. Eltz's history with illegal armaments and impersonation didn't start recently; a haunting collection of similar weaponry and false credentials had been previously noted in 2007 and 2012 encounters, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Washington..