Neo-Nazi group member came to Texas with assault weapons. Now he faces federal charge
A neo-Nazi group member was indicted this week by a federal grand jury in Texas on gun charges after authorities say he was stopped in Garza County while dressed in tactical gear and in possession of several assault rifles.
Aiden Bruce-Umbaugh, 23, of Olympia, Washington, who federal authorities believe is a member of Atomwaffen Division, a neo-Nazi hate group, was in custody Friday at the Lubbock County Jail.
He was charged with possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance.
The Washington man entered a not guilty plea on Thursday.
If convicted, Bruce-Umbaugh faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison.
Texas is one of several states with known Atomwaffen Division cells, according to King 5 News in Seattle.
Bruce-Umbaugh was arrested Nov. 4 in Post, Texas about 40 miles southeast of Lubbock during a traffic stop following an investigation by the FBI.
Inside of the vehicle, authorities found an AR-15 rifle, two AK-47 rifles, a Sig Sauer 9 mm pistol, at least 1,500 rounds of ammunition, a small canister of marijuana and approximately two grams of THC oil.
“The large amount of weapons and ammunition seized from the defendant is alarming and we understand there is a cause for concern,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno of the Dallas field office in a news release. “We want to reassure the public that swift action was taken to remove weapons from a dangerous individual.”
At the time of the traffic stop, Bruce-Umbaugh and Kaleb Cole were apparently traveling from Washington to Houston to meet with friends, according to court documents.
Cole was driving a Ford Focus while Bruce-Umbaugh was a passenger, according to federal court documents.
Bruce-Umbaugh avoided eye contact with authorities and denied having anything illegal inside of the vehicle, but he later admitted the weapons, marijuana and THC belonged to him, according to court documents.
In jailhouse phone calls, the Washington man allegedly referenced his affiliation with the hate group and discussed a photo taken of him and another Atomwaffen Division member at the Auschwitz concentration camp, according to federal prosecutors in a Wednesday detention hearing.
Propaganda videos were admitted into evidence on Wednesday which depicted members of the Atomwaffen Division at self-described “hate camps” practicing hand-to-hand combat and shooting firearms.
No charges had been filed against Cole.
King 5 News had exposed the violent hate group in recent stories, saying Cole had been barred from possessing firearms because of an extreme risk protection order issued in October that required him to surrender all firearms.
Cole also was dressed in combat/tactical attire during the traffic stop in Texas earlier this month, according to court documents.
This story was originally published November 15, 2019 at 1:00 PM.
