An El Paso man who posted a video online threatening to kill Black Lives Matter protesters has been sentenced to nearly two years in federal prison, officials said.
Manuel Flores, 43, was sentenced Tuesday to 21 months in prison after pleading guilty last year to posting a threatening communication over the internet. He’s been in custody since his arrest in June, the El Paso Times reported.
In the video, Flores displays an AR-15-style rifle and said it was his “dream” to kill Black protesters who had gathered in response to George Floyd’s death last year.
“During this time of polarized political discord, peaceful protest is an important right that must be safeguarded and those who threaten to harm others, commit acts of violence, destroy property or attack law enforcement must be held accountable for their criminal behavior,” U.S. Attorney Gregg N. Sofer said Tuesday in a statement.
According to court records, Flores was remorseful and apologetic when he was questioned by agents and said he’d been drinking when he posted the video and didn’t recall making the threats.
