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Man Accused Of Planning To Blow Up Target Stores For Cheaper Stock

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OCALA (CBSMiami/AP) — A Florida man is accused of planning to blow up Target stores along the East Coast in order to get cheap stock if the company's stock value plunged after the explosions.

The U.S Attorney's Office in the middle district of Florida said in a news release on Thursday that 48-year-old Mark Charles Barnett is charged with possession of a firearm affecting commerce by a previously convicted felon. Barnett is a registered sex offender in Florida.

If convicted, Barnett faces up to 10 years in prison. Jail records don't say whether he's hired a lawyer.

An affidavit says Barnett offered to pay another man $10,000 to place at least 10 "improvised explosive bombs" disguised in food-item packaging in stores from New York to Florida. The man went to authorities.

(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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