A Virginia ex-cop purchased dozens of firearms and hundreds of rounds of armor-piercing ammunition while awaiting trial on Capitol riot charges.
Thomas Robertson, formerly of the Rocky Mount Police Department in Virginia, was granted pre-trial release after his arrest in January.
But, four days after he was released a search of his home uncovered eight firearms including a Hawken Rifle and Smith and Wesson, and a large amount of ammunition. He was given a second chance by the judge who instructed him “not to possess a firearm, destructive device, or other dangerous weapon,” according to the affidavit.
He did not listen.
According to the FBI, in February, they found out that Robertson began buying firearms and ammunition online and having them shipped on his behalf to a gun store in Roanoke, Virginia.
Agents subsequently obtained a search warrant on Robertson’s email and Venmo accounts, which turned up multiple messages and transactions appearing to involve the purchase of firearms.
“Hey Tom…I sold you the M855A1,” an email from ar15.com on February 13 read, according to the affidavit. “[I]f you’re interested, or know anyone that is, I have more M85561 available as well as M80A1.”
“I absolutely am interested,” Robertson replied. “Price and quantity?”
He purchased 2,000 rounds of M855A1 ammo for $3,600 from the individial whose name was redacted in the affidavit and paid using Venmo referring to the transaction as being for “Wedding Photos.”
The FBI executed a second search warrant on Robertson’s home on June 29 and found “an arsenal of 34 firearms… a loaded M4 rifle, ammunition, and a partially assembled pipe bomb,” the affidavit states.
Agents did not find the newly purchased guns at the home. Robertson admitted that he had bought the weapons online, but that they had been shipped to licensed dealers and he hadn’t picked them up yet.
The FBI interviewed the owner of Tactical Operations, which serves as an intermediary for online gun purchases. The owner told agents that “Robertson had 34 firearms waiting for him at the store,” according to a motion filed Wednesday by prosecutors seeking to revoke Robertson’s bail.
“Defendant Robertson’s extensive and flagrant violations of the terms of his release order, including numerous violations of the federal firearms laws, strongly support revocation of his pretrial release in this case,” the motion read. “This conduct, coupled with his calls for future violence, shows that no condition or combination of conditions can adequately protect the public from the defendant, and warrants immediate action by the court through the issuance of an arrest warrant.”
Robertson was a sergeant at the Rocky Mount PD before he was fired for his role in the deadly riot. He has been charged with obstruction of an official proceeding, aiding and abetting, entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, and disorderly conduct in the Capitol building. He has pleaded not guilty.
He is due back in court on August 3 at 10 a.m. by video conference.
