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Date: 05-09-2024
Case Style:
Case Number: 5:22-cr-00169
Judge: Jason K. Pulliam
Court: The United States District Court for the Western District of Texas (Bexar County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: The United States Attorney’s Office in San Antonio
Defendant's Attorney: Lance Lawrence Kennedy
Description:
Kerrville Man Who Made Terrorist Threats Sentenced on Firearm Charges
On May 27, 2021, Coleman Thomas Blevins, 31, sent a social media post stating, “I’m going to Walmart,” which was followed by a picture of Blevins holding a black assault-style rifle. Blevins then sent another message stating, “I have no problem spending the rest of my life in prison for Shootings (sic) up Walmart.” The next day officers executed a search warrant at Blevins’ apartment and found 556 rounds of ammunition. In addition, a black AR-15 .223 rifle with four magazines was found in a vehicle belonging to Blevins’ roommate. The rifle matched the rifle Blevins was holding in the picture he posted.
Subsequent investigation into Blevins’ social media activity revealed three other occasions where Blevins had recently posted pictures of himself holding firearms or ammunition. On November 28, 2023, Blevins pled guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Blevins was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because he was previously convicted of a felony drug offense.
“Threats to carry out mass shootings are reprehensible,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza. “Thanks to the quick work of our law enforcement partners, this threat remained just that and did not turn into a tragic event. This case demonstrates our commitment to peel back the veneer of online anonymity and aggressively pursue and prosecute those who threaten harm to our community.”
“Blevins threatened to commit violent acts and had access to weapons that would have allowed him to carry out those threats,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the FBI's San Antonio Field Office. “We want to thank Kerr County Sheriff's Office for their continued assistance in ensuring the safety of our citizens.”
The FBI, with assistance from the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric Fuchs and Kelly Stephenson prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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