Joshua Colston, a 50-year-old from Corinth, Mississippi, has been sentenced to a four-year prison term for illegal possession of firearms. Identified as a member of the National Constitutional Militia, an anti-government extremist group, Colston had previously engaged in discussions about kidnapping and attacking federal officials. He will also face three years of supervised release following his prison term, as reported by the Department of Justice.
U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary stated, "Safeguarding our communities from all threats is the top priority of our office and of law enforcement at every level." He noted that convicted felons caught with guns in the Middle District of Georgia "will face federal prosecution." The sentencing was handed down by U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner on August 15, with no parole option available in the federal system.
FBI's investigation into Colston and his associates' activities on encrypted chat applications unveiled their plans, which did not come to fruition due to resource constraints and participants' health issues. During the apprehension process in Fitzgerald, Georgia, Colston was preparing for an extended, off-the-grid lifestyle, intending to travel cross-country by horseback.
Found in possession of multiple firearms and over 3,500 rounds of ammo, including armor-piercing rounds, Colston's cache also featured a bulletproof vest and a stolen semiautomatic rifle. "Thanks to the hard work and collaboration of our law enforcement partners, Colston will spend time behind bars where he will not be able to carry out any of his extremist plans to harm members of our community," remarked Rich Bilson, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Albany office, as detailed in the press release. Significantly, a prior felony conviction bars Colston from lawful firearm possession.
The joint effort by the FBI and the Ben Hill County Sheriff’s Office culminated in the case against Colston, effectively preventing potential threats to public safety. Deputy Criminal Chief Will Keyes led the prosecution, receiving support from the Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division.
