Gunman (stock)
Gunman (stock)iStock

Jeffrey Clark, Jr., of Washington, D.C, whose relatives reported concerns about his behavior and far-right rhetoric after last year's synagogue massacre, pleaded guilty Tuesday to a federal gun charge, NBC News reported.

Clark, 30, may face up to ten years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of illegal possession of firearms by an unlawful user of a controlled substance. The gun, however, was legally registered, HuffPost noted.

Clark was arrested in November 2018 after relatives told the FBI that they were concerned he would present a danger to himself or others, especially since his younger brother, Edward, shot and killed himself hours after the Pittsburgh attack.

In an affidavit, an FBI agent wrote that "According to (two relatives), Jeffrey and Edward Clark believed that there would be a race revolution, and they wanted to expedite it" and therefore may have been planning an "act of violence."

In November, Clark pleaded not guilty to possessing illegally firearms and high-capacity ammunition magazines.

According to the FBI, Clark is a self-described white nationalist who followed Pittsburgh murder suspect Robert Bowers on social media and described him as a "hero" following the shooting. Before the shooting, Bowers expressed anti-Semitic sentiments on social media.

HuffPost noted that Clark "stockpiled racist gear" in his room and said the Pittsburgh victims "deserved" to be killed. Since federal guidelines suggest 10-16 months in prison, Clark may be released in September.

Clark did not have prior knowledge of the Pittsburgh attack, NBC noted.

Public defender David Bos said Clark's "distasteful comments" constitute free speech and do not make him dangerous, and added that "if the marijuana weren’t in this case, there would be no charge," HuffPost noted.

However, US District Judge Timothy J. Kelly said he could not conclude that Clark did not pose a danger.

"There’s too much in here about his sympathy for folks who’ve undertaken violence ... and his support for that violence," HuffPost quoted Kelly as saying.