Wolbach man pleads not guilty to explosives charge

 A Wolbach man whose farm was raided by federal agents pleaded not guilty to an explosives charge Wednesday.

Allison "Al" Klanecky, 58, was arraigned Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Omaha on a charge of possessing an unregistered firearm. His trial was set for September.

He was arrested in Kansas on July 8 while agents searched his farm near Wolbach for explosives.

The agents found grenades, fuses and a gunpowder substitute, according to an affidavit.

The search came after an attorney for Klanecky's wife, Debra, showed a Greeley County sheriff's deputy pictures of a storm shelter with firearms and parts of explosives after a divorce hearing in May.

The October 2006 photos depicted at least 60 long guns, reloading equipment, military ammunition cans, video monitors and equipment for improvised grenades, according to the affidavit.

Klanecky's charge carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The federal public defender of Nebraska was appointed Wednesday as his attorney, according to court documents.

A charge was initially filed the day of the raid by an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, but it was superseded July 16 by an indictment with the same charge.

U.S. Attorney Joe Stecher has said Klanecky was charged specifically for possessing the components to make hand grenades.

In the federal statute under which Klanecky was charged, the term "firearm" includes "destructive devices" such as bombs, grenades, rockets, missiles and mines.

It does not include pyrotechnics, antiques or shotguns and rifles used for sport.