A Burleson man who had a homemade bomb and, according to law enforcement, idolized the Columbine High School murders was given a 14-year federal prison sentence.
What Happened?
The 22-year-old Noah Robert Calderon was charged in April through a criminal complaint and was indicted in May. He was sentenced on November 3 after entering a guilty plea in July to one count of receiving child pornography and one count of possessing an unregistered handgun.
“There is no greater example of the Justice Department’s, and our U.S. Attorney’s Office’s, commitment to protecting the public—including protecting the children in our community—than our efforts in this case,” stated Leigha Simonton, U.S. Attorney.
A 30-year supervised release term was also imposed upon him by U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor.
After receiving a tip regarding Calderon’s social media activities in October 2022, the FBI launched an investigation into the man. According to court filings, Calderon claimed to be fascinated by high-profile mass shootings online, specifically the 1999 Columbine High School massacre.
Homemade Explosives
(Photo: PA Homepage)
According to reports, he uploaded multiple pictures of himself holding AR-15-style firearms while wearing tactical vests. According to a press statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, he also shared memes with Columbine as a theme and pictures of homemade explosives.
The FBI was notified once more in March 2023 that Calderon had set off a homemade bomb in his area. He then acknowledged purchasing precursors for explosives online. He also allegedly acknowledged keeping 659.2 grams of explosive powder in his garage, along with a funnel, measuring spoons, cardboard tubing, a lighter, a cannon fuse, and a glass jar labeled “frag” that contained lead and metal ball bearings.
“The community responded to the call to action to report suspicious conduct when they spotted it, and today’s sentencing is a shared success with them. According to Dallas FBI Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarbrough, “The information shared with law enforcement exhibited a distinctive pathway to further violence, which was ultimately thwarted by law enforcement and led to multiple federal charges.”
