Man pleads not guilty to having same type of gun used in booby-trap attack on Calif. police

Man charged after Calif. police booby trap raids

HEMET, Calif. — A suspected white supremacist has pleaded not guilty to possessing the same kind of homemade gun used in a booby trap targeting a police officer in Southern California.

Patrick Nugent Jr. entered pleas on April 23 to having a zip gun and being in a criminal gang. He has not been directly linked to the attack on the Hemet officer.

Nugent remained jailed Monday. A call to his attorney, Justin Greenlee, wasn’t immediately returned.

Police officers have been the targets of at least three potentially deadly booby traps, and a fleet of city trucks was set ablaze.

Police say they found the gun while arresting 23 people. Seven have been charged — although none have been directly linked to the booby traps.