A 20-year-old New Braunfels man who planned mass-murder attacks between 2022-2024 was sentenced to 6 1/2 years in federal prison by a federal district judge Wednesday.
A statement issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Texas, said Cameron Darrick Peterson was thwarted by federal and local law enforcement agencies.
“This case is demonstrative of how our law enforcement and the systems in place to prevent certain firearm purchases by those under the legal age work in tandem to successfully prevent mass murder events like this defendant had planned,” said acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman.
“Due to the fine investigative efforts and teamwork of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the New Braunfels police, and other local and federal partners, Peterson’s plans to detonate explosives and slaughter innocents in multiple locations in our district were deterred.”
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, San Antonio Fire Department, New Braunfels Police Department (NBPD), and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
Peterson was indicted in June 2024 for three counts related to firearm and explosive offenses. He pleaded guilty on Oct. 30, 2024, to one count of attempt to receive a firearm to use to commit a felony.
According to court documents, Peterson began planning mass shootings in November 2022 and attempted to purchase a 12-gauge shotgun from a New Braunfels pawn shop on Jan. 4, 2024.
He completed the required background check but was denied due to his age and the type of firearm he was attempting to purchase.
On May 31, 2024, Peterson tried to purchase an assault weapon-style, 12-gauge shotgun from the same pawn shop and was denied a second time.
FBI agents obtained an arrest warrant on June 5, 2024, and Peterson was immediately taken into custody by NBPD. A search of his home revealed an altered .22-caliber long rifle with a sawed-off buttstock and six magazines loaded with 60 rounds.
On June 6, 2024, agents reviewed Peterson’s Instagram account and found statements Peterson made about plans to attack a gas station. Also on June 6 he was recorded from jail instructing a witness to hide or destroy a videotape he had made in which he surveilled a grocery store to plan a future attack.
On June 10, 2024, another search of Peterson’s home revealed a box with 11 aerosol containers and other ingredients to manufacture destructive devices. One of the containers could readily be made operational and was categorized as an improvised explosive device. The IED was not registered in the National Firearms Registry, nor could it be due to Peterson’s age.
