JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man pleaded guilty in
federal court today to the arson at the Columbia Health Center (operated by
Planned Parenthood Great Plains) on Feb. 10, 2019.
Wesley Brian Kaster, 42, pleaded guilty before U.S.
Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps Jr. to one count of maliciously using explosive
materials to damage a building owned by an organization that receives federal
financial assistance, and one count of violating the Freedom of Access to
Clinic Entrances Act. Kaster has remained in federal custody without bond since
his arrest on March 2, 2019.
By pleading guilty today, Kaster admitted that he
manufactured a Molotov cocktail on Feb. 10, 2019. On the same day, he broke the
glass in the north entry door of the Columbia Health Center at 711 N.
Providence Road and threw the Molotov cocktail into the facility. At
approximately 4:10 a.m., the Columbia Fire Department arrived on the scene,
investigated the damage caused by the explosive device, and collected evidence.
Kaster admitted today that he took these actions because
Planned Parenthood provided reproductive health services at the facility.
Under federal statutes, Kaster is subject to a mandatory
minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a
sentence of 21 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory
sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational
purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court
based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A
sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence
investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S.
Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Columbia, Mo., Police
Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the FBI.
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