'Boogaloo' member sentenced to 2 years on machine gun charge

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minnesota man who authorities say is a self-proclaimed member of the anti-government “boogaloo” movement and had discussed a willingness to kill police was sentenced Tuesday to two years in prison.

Michael Dahlager, 27, of St. Cloud, pleaded guilty last summer to illegally possessing a machine gun. He admitted during his plea hearing he possessed two devices that convert a semi-automatic firearm into an unlawful fully automatic firearm.

Dahlager was a self-proclaimed follower of the “boogaloo,” a concept embraced by a loose network of gun enthusiasts and militia-style extremists. The FBI began investigating Dahlager in November 2020, after an informant said he had the devices, known as “auto sears.”

According to an FBI affidavit, Dahlager told a confidential informant he was preparing to “defend” a rally at the state Capitol on Jan. 17. Dahlager allegedly traveled from St. Cloud to St. Paul in December 2020 to conduct surveillance at the Capitol building during a “Stop the Steal” rally by Donald Trump supporters. He scouted police numbers and noted which streets would be blocked by law enforcement, among other things.

Dahlager told the informant he wanted to commit “suicide by cop” and would not wear a bulletproof vest, according to the affidavit. The group decided not to attend the rally because of fears they had been compromised by an informant, according to court documents.

The boogaloo term was derived from an ’80s movie sequel called “Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo,” and is slang for a second civil war or collapse of the U.S. government. The movement has grown beyond its origins as an internet meme on fringe websites and is associated with violent protests against the government.