An Indiana man was charged Tuesday with three felony weapons violations after authorities say they found three assault rifles and explosive chemicals in his car before a major Los Angeles gay pride parade.
James Wesley Howell, 20, made his first appearance in Los Angeles County Superior Court, where a lawyer entered not guilty pleas on his behalf to charges of possessing an assault weapon, possessing a destructive device on a public street, and importing or manufacturing a large magazine.
He also was charged with a misdemeanor count of possessing a loaded firearm in a vehicle.
A judge set bail at $2 million, saying Howell poses "a significant public safety danger."
A federal investigation of Howell was ongoing, said Laura Eimiller, an FBI spokeswoman in Los Angeles.
Howell was arrested Sunday in Santa Monica, when police say the weapons and explosives were found in a car he apparently drove from Indiana. Howell told police he was headed to a gay pride event in West Hollywood that attracts hundreds of thousands of people.