Photo: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office
A Florida woman who was arrested in 2019 after authorities found two dozen homemade pipe bombs reached a plea deal and will not have to go to prison. The explosives were filled with nails, screws, and pellets. Investigators also found a hit list and books about terrorist bombings.
Michelle Kolts was initially charged with 24 counts of making, possessing, and discharging a destructive device and faced over 100 years behind bars. However, she was deemed unfit to stand trial and spent six months in a mental health facility where she was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
After three years of treatment, Kolts' lawyer says her condition is under control but that she needs continued mental health treatment instead of prison.
Prosecutors agreed and reached a deal with Kolts in which she would plead guilty to lesser charges. Instead of prison, she was sentenced to 24 months of community control and 15 years probation. If she completes her probation, her criminal record will be wiped clean.
"She's not going to suffer the stigma of a conviction on any of those counts as long as she stays crime-free and abides by the terms of her probation," Kolts' attorney, Barry Taracks, said.