MENOMINEE — A 41-year-old Menominee man was sentenced to 3 to 5 years in prison after pleading guilty to an attempted threat of terrorism in late March.

The subject, Asher Allan McNeil, was given his prison sentence on Friday by the Honorable Christopher S. Ninomiya.

According to court documents and information presented in open court, McNeil called the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to request assistance with his furnace. A MDHHS manager reported to Menominee Police Department officers that McNeil became irate when told the procedure to seek such help.

McNeil told the manager that “if CPS comes over somebody’s gonna get shot” and “they better bring M-16s with drum magazines,” and that he was “armed with explosives.”

When police arrived at the subject’s house on Fourth Place, McNeil emerged and said, “I don’t believe in threats, I make promises.”

Menominee County Prosecuting Attorney Jeffery T. Rogg confirmed McNeil “has access to weapons and explosives that would have allowed him to carry out those threats.”

Rogg credits his law enforcement partners for ensuring this threat was not acted upon.

“Threats to carry out shootings and injure or kill MDHHS personnel, who are trying to fulfill their mission and provide help to needy families, are reprehensible,” he said. “I want to thank the MPD for their continued assistance in ensuring the safety of our citizens.”