A 27-year-old Santa Clara man has been federally indicted on charges that he lied about a past mental institution commitment in order to legally purchase 11 firearms this year. Clayton Girard was arrested on October 22 and appeared in court for his arraignment on Friday, remaining in custody in San Jose as the case moves forward.
According to KRON4, federal prosecutors allege Girard was committed to a mental institution in New York in 2017. Despite that history, prosecutors say Girard answered on firearm transaction records that he had never been in a mental institution, allowing him to move forward with the purchases.
Prosecutors allege that in 2026, Girard bought 11 firearms, along with a large amount of ammunition, high-powered magazines, and several large knives. Federal law prohibits knowingly making a false statement intended or likely to deceive a licensed firearms seller about a fact material to whether a sale is lawful, according to 18 U.S.C. § 922, the statute underlying the allegations against Girard.
What Investigators Say They Found in 2017
The case against Girard draws heavily on events from 2017, when authorities say they found a journal belonging to him containing threats against former classmates and a manifesto describing violent acts, per federal prosecutors. That journal allegedly outlined plans to shoot up his school and to capture and murder a specific target, prosecutors say.
It was that same year, prosecutors allege, that Girard was committed to the mental institution in New York — the commitment he is now accused of concealing nearly a decade later when filling out federal firearm transaction paperwork.
Prosecutor's Statement and Possible Penalties
U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian said making false statements to circumvent federal firearms safeguards is a serious crime, according to the station's report. If convicted, Girard faces up to 10 years in prison.
A court record search on GovInfo lists a related Northern District of California matter, case 26-71374, titled USA v. Girard, dated October 28, 2026, though the listing itself provides only case-identification details rather than the substance of the filings, per GovInfo.
