By Joe Mandak
The Associated Press
PITTSBURGH — Federal agents seized about 20 guns and explosive devices, including homemade hand grenades, from the home of a man who is a felon and cannot legally possess weapons, a police chief said.
Authorities also found survival gear, body armor, police equipment, a military uniform, a firefighter’s coat and false police identification at the home of Dean Alan Huzinec, Franklin Township police chief Robert Morrison said.
Huzinec was arrested early Sunday with a loaded .357-caliber Magnum handgun stuck in his waistband, Morrison said.
Morrison said he doesn’t believe Huzinec meant to harm anyone but has a fascination with guns and law enforcement. “To be honest with you, I feel he’s playing games in his head, like a little kid playing with toy soldiers,” Morrison said
Morrison said about 20 guns were seized plus “gas grenades and other types of explosive grenades” that appeared to be homemade.
Morrison said Huzinec, 47, has a record that includes “seven or eight aliases.” He has a felony record for a weapons charge, police said.
Police also arrested a friend of Huzinec, Dean Timothy Eakin, 43, who has a record of felony drug possession.
Morrison said police sought a search warrant after an officer went to the house about 35 miles northwest of Pittsburgh Saturday to follow up on a missing person’s report filed by Eakin’s sister. The officer saw three guns and memorized the serial number of one, he said.
The gun turned out to be stolen, and police learned Huzinec and Eakin both were felons ineligible to possess guns.
Huzinec was jailed on state charges that include receiving stolen property, illegally possessing weapons, carrying a firearm without a license and risking a catastrophe. Eakin faces charges of conspiring with Huzinec to illegally own firearms.
Representatives of the U.S. attorney’s office did not respond to calls seeking comment on possible federal charges.
Both men face a preliminary hearing Aug. 25. Court records do not list lawyers for the men.