Authorities in Jacksonville announced the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint against an immigrant from the Philippines Monday.
The FBI in Jacksonville said 69-year-old Bernandino Bolatete was plotting a mass shooting at a northeast Florida mosque.
Investigators said the arrest was the end result of a joint investigation with several agencies.
Officials said that, so far, they were charging Bolatete only with knowingly receiving and possessing a silencer not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
According to the criminal complaint, on November 27 of this year, Bolatete asked for assistance in purchasing a firearm silencer from an undercover detective from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Officials said Bolatete specified that, to avoid government scrutiny, he did not want any paperwork associated with the sale.
On December 1, authorities say Bolatete took possession of a silencer after the undercover detective sold it to him for $100 and he was subsequently arrested.