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Jacksonville man accused of planning mass shooting pleads not guilty

The man accused of planning a mass shooting at a Jacksonville Islamic center this month appeared in a federal courtroom Tuesday morning where he pleaded not guilty.

Bernandino Bolatete, 69, who is accused of illegally buying a silencer and threatening a mass shooting at the Islamic Center of Northeast Florida in Jacksonville, told the judge that he has no mental illness.

Bolatete is facing up to 10 years in prison if convicted of knowingly possessing an unregistered silencer.

He said he did not want paperwork associated with the sale, according to officials.

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During the hearing Tuesday, prosecutors said there were 11 guns discovered in Bolatete's home, which was raided Dec. 1.

Officials began investigating Bolatete in late October after a confidential source said he was planning an attack on the Islamic center, Sheriff Mike Williams said.

An undercover officer got in contact with Bolatete and federal and state investigators were notified, Williams said.

A criminal complaint says Bolatete and the undercover officer went to shooting ranges together several times during the investigation.

During those meetings, Bolatete expressed hatred for Muslims and made threats to shoot up the mosque several times, officials say.

During one meeting, Bolatete told the officer that he used to be a "range master" at a shooting range in the Philippines, according to the criminal complaint.

He told the undercover officer that a police officer in the Philippines shot him during an argument over a parking spot. Bolatete said he shot and killed the officer, according to the report.

Bolatete told the officer he knew how to get up in the mosque's tower in Jacksonville and that he had five rifles, including an AR-15 that could be converted to an AR-47.

At one of the meetings, he told the officer he did not plan to survive the attack.