COEUR d'ALENE - A North Idaho man with militia ties on Monday was sentenced in federal court to a year in prison for being a felon in possession of firearms and attempting to manufacture improvised explosive devices.

Kenneth B. Kimbley Jr., 60, of Spirit Lake, admitted it was "a lame idea" to possess firearms even though he had been convicted in September 2003 of aggravated assault, a felony, against a girlfriend.

"I have no reason to even want a firearm," Kimbley told the court. "I just pray for some forgiveness."

He pleaded guilty to the charges in November. Prosecutors recommended a sentence of 46 months in prison.

U.S. District Court Judge Edward Lodge, said, "You can't repeat serious mistakes like this and ask the court to turn a blind eye to it."

The judge took into consideration Kimbley's lung cancer in sentencing him.

Lodge ordered three years of supervised release after prison, including a year of home confinement.

"If there is a violation (during his release), bring your toothbrush because you're going to prison," Lodge said.

Lodge ordered Kimbley to avoid drugs, alcohol and firearms.

Kimbley admitted having numerous guns, including an AK-47 style assault rifle and sniper rifle, and sold a handgun to an undercover FBI agent in October.

He also admitted demonstrating how to build homemade grenades on his property in July 2010. Kimbley brought two grenade hulls to the demonstration meeting, which was attended by the undercover agent among others. One of the devices already was modified for use as an IED.

Kimbley came to the attention of the FBI in 2009 as a member of the militia group "Brotherhood of American Patriots," which had been concerned about communist invasion of the U.S. by Russia or China.

The 2003 aggravated assault incident involved Kimbley firing a gun in his girlfriend's direction during an argument, and ordering her to drop a pocket knife. The two were intoxicated at the time.

Kimbley, a truck driver, is a father of six, with four different mothers. Two of the mothers and a girlfriend have had restraining orders filed in court against him, according to documents.

Prosecutors said in court documents that he owes more than $40,000 in past child support payments, and has admitted to using a plethora of illegal drugs during his life.

He has used marijuana, LSD, mescaline, methamphetamine, powder cocaine, and heroin, court documents said. He has also had problems with alcohol abuse.

Kimbley's codefendant, Steven E. Winegar, 52, of Harpster, Idaho, was sentenced to eight months of home detention. Winegar, who was not a convicted felon, also suffers from major health problems.

Winegar was honorably discharged from the military, while Kimbley, who was in the U.S. Marine Corps, was not.

Prosecutors said Kimbley's actions were more serious in this incident than Winegar's, as Kimbley planned, researched and organized the meeting to teach the building of the grenades to others.

Winegar attended the meeting, but only demonstrated how to remove gunpowder from a .22-caliber cartridge, documents said.