Donald Trump supporter and Capitol rioter Thomas Robertson, who violated a judge’s order by amassing an arsenal of firearms following his conditional release from jail, now claims they are merely “antique” guns — and that a pipe bomb found at his home was just “a prop for training.”
As noted by The Daily Beast, federal prosecutors are seeking to revoke the pre-trial release of former Virginia police officer Thomas Robertson, alleging that he purchased 34 guns despite a judge’s order that he not “possess a firearm, destructive device, or other dangerous weapons.” Notably, this marks the second time since Robertson’s release that he has been accused of violating the order.
In response to prosecutors’ motion seeking to revoke his release, Robertson argued through his attorney that the guns he ordered online were not technically in his possession because they were being stored at a local firearms dealership.
“Mr. Robertson was an antique gun lover, served his Country honorably, and the guns he allegedly purchased but did not possess were antique guns from the World War II era,” Robertson’s attorney, Mark Rollins wrote in a motion filed Sunday.
Don't Miss
As for the partially assembled pipe bomb — which was found inside Robertson’s backyard workshop and marked “booby trap” — Rollins noted that the label also included the words “ALERRT,” which stands for “Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training.”
This “partially assembled pipe found inside the box is not a destructive device as this device is used to teach students (Safety) in law enforcement as part of the ALERRT class,” Rollins wrote. “Mr. Robertson was a level II instructor for ALERRT. This pipe is not active as it is a prop for training.”
Robertson allegedly tried to cover up his weapons purchases by labeling one of them as “wedding photos” on Venmo, according to the Daily Beast. He has also repeatedly posted violent, extremist rhetoric on Facebook and elsewhere.
Read the motion below, via Scribd.
