A federal jury in San Antonio on Wednesday convicted a Hondo man of threatening to violently overthrow the U.S. government in 2025, a case that quietly went public through a short social media post from federal prosecutors the same day.
Hondo man who threatened to violently overthrow the U.S. government in 2025 found guilty by federal jury in San Antonio https://x.com/i/status/2067345591311438083
— U.S. Attorney WDTX (@usao_wdtx) June 17, 2026
Verdict And How It Broke
According to a post by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas, jurors in San Antonio returned a guilty verdict, with the announcement noting assistance from the FBI’s San Antonio field office. The update on X was notably brief and did not include any information about potential sentencing.
What Federal Law Says About Violent Overthrow Talk
Federal statutes that can apply to plots or threats to use force against the government include seditious conspiracy, which is codified at 18 U.S.C. § 2384 (law.cornell.edu), and the Smith Act prohibition on advocating violent overthrow at 18 U.S.C. § 2385 (govinfo.gov). A seditious conspiracy conviction can carry a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, although courts weigh such prosecutions against First Amendment protections.
What Happens Next In Federal Court
The brief X post did not list a sentencing date or other case particulars. Sentencing and any potential appeals will move forward on the usual federal court schedule. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas prosecutes federal crimes across San Antonio and surrounding counties and typically shares fuller case updates on its website and social media channels.
Why Prosecutors Say These Cases Matter
Federal authorities in recent months have prioritized investigations into violent domestic plots and coordinated attacks on government institutions, and convictions in such cases underscore the Department of Justice’s focus on heading off violent anti-government activity before it erupts. For additional context on recent federal prosecutions tied to extremist planning, see a related press release from the U.S. Department of Justice.
