BOULDER — A Boulder County judge on Monday agreed to drop felony weapons charges against a University of Colorado student who was arrested in the spring after police found a cache of weapons and ammunition in his dorm room.

In exchange for the dropped charges, Matthew Furnish, 19, pleaded guilty to unlawful conduct on public property. He was sentenced to one year of probation for the misdemeanor, and he's been suspended from CU for two years.

Attorney Scott Robinson said the suspension was a "significant" part of his client's punishment.

"At an early age, he planned to go to CU," Robinson said, adding that Furnish's parents attended the university, as well as his sister. "But I think it's CU's loss. He's an outstanding young man."

A prosecutor said Furnish is taking classes now at Colorado State University. Robinson said Furnish probably won't return to CU.

"And now he'll have a permanent criminal history," he said.

Furnish was arrested April 19 after officers were tipped off that he had weapons in his first-floor room in the Kittredge West residence hall. Police reported finding a 12-gauge shotgun, a semi-automatic handgun, several hundred rounds of ammunition and a knife with a 12-inch blade.

He was originally charged with three felony counts of possession of weapons on school grounds.

Robinson said Furnish brought the weapons — and an AK-47 — from his home in Centennial on April 15, the day before the Virginia Tech massacre. He was planning to take some friends target shooting at a nearby range, and he didn't have time to register and store them at the CU Police Department, Robinson said.

Prosecutor Colette Cribari said it was "unfortunate for him that this came after Virginia Tech."

She said although Furnish didn't intend to harm anyone, he made a "stupid" decision that could have created a dangerous situation for other students.

Robinson said his client's decision to store the weapons in his dorm room was "anything but a Virginia Tech situation." He said Furnish is interested in learning how to properly handle weapons because he wants to get into law enforcement.

Boulder County Judge Lael Montgomery said at Monday's hearing: "All parents are terrified of guns in the dorms at all times."

She said conditions of his probation include no possession of weapons, a full-time schedule of work or school, community service and "no breaking the law."