New Braunfels man pleads guilty after court documents allege he planned multiple mass attacks

SAN ANTONIO – A 20-year-old New Braunfels man pleaded guilty to attempting to obtain and use a firearm in the commission of a crime.

The Department of Justice, citing court documents, claims that Cameron Derrick Peterson planned mass shootings starting in November 2022.

In January 2024, the Justice Department said Peterson went into a pawn shop in New Braunfels and tried to buy a 12-gauge shotgun.

While he passed the required background check, Peterson was denied because of his age and the type of gun he wanted to purchase, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas said.

Four months later, on May 31, Peterson returned to the same pawn shop and attempted to purchase a 12-gauge shotgun similar to an assault weapon. The pawn shop turned Peterson down a second time, officials said.

Five days after Peterson was refused a second time at the pawn shop, FBI agents executed a warrant for Peterson’s arrest. New Braunfels police took Peterson into custody, the Justice Department said.

As part of a federal search warrant for Peterson and his home, FBI agents found a converted .22-caliber rifle with a sawed-off stock and six magazines loaded with 60 rounds, court records show.

On June 6, agents said they later discovered Peterson’s Instagram account, where he made claims about the gas station attack. Also that day, investigators said Peterson was recorded from jail telling a witness to hide or destroy a potentially incriminating video.

According to the Department of Justice, Peterson made a video of himself scanning the grocery store for a possible future attack.

During a search of his home on June 10, investigators said they classified one of the 11 aerosol cans they found as an improvised explosive device (IED). The IED was not registered with the National Firearms Registry because of Peterson’s age, documents show.

Peterson’s sentencing date is set for February 5, 2025. He faces up to 10 years in prison and may be ordered to pay a $250,000 fine.

Officials said a federal district court judge will determine Peterson’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.