By The Epoch Times | Created at 2026-10-01 22:26:59 | Updated at 2026-10-01 23:25:10
58 minutes ago
A Texas man arrested Sept. 30 on suspicion of plotting a violent attack at the Texas state Capitol in Austin faces a charge of making a terrorist threat.
Benny Caldera Jr., 40, was arrested in his home about 70 miles southwest of the capital by Texas State Police SWAT members hours after authorities were tipped off about the potential attack allegedly planned for Thursday.
Federal prosecutors claim Caldera Jr. told someone he was going to the Capitol to “shoot it up,” specifically expressing anger toward the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
The criminal complaint alleges Caldera Jr. said, “These people have to be exterminated,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Texas.
AIPAC didn’t respond to a request for comment.
“Had the alleged threats not been taken seriously and reported to law enforcement, we could have had a very different and tragic story to tell today,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Simmons for the Western District of Texas.
Prosecutors said Caldera Jr. also recorded a goodbye to his parents.
The Texas Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) special agents worked through the night with FBI agents and local partners after receiving the tip, the department told The Epoch Times via email.
“DPS leadership notified Texas State Legislators of the threat and arrest earlier today, and the Texas Capitol remains open for regular operating hours,” the department said Wednesday night.
At 3 a.m. Wednesday, SWAT members arrested Caldera Jr. at his home in Converse, about 15 miles northeast of downtown San Antonio, and transported him to Bexar County Jail.
During a search of Caldera Jr.’s home, police and federal agents located a .357 revolver loaded with six rounds and a 12-gauge shotgun in his master bedroom closet, prosecutors said. Investigators also found six 9 mm rounds with the firearms, according to authorities.
The criminal complaint says the serial number on the revolver frame appeared to have been filed off.
Benny Caldera Jr. was arrested Sept. 30, 2026. Texas DPS
Caldera Jr. was turned over to the FBI and and charged with having a firearm with an obliterated serial number. He also faces a state felony charge of making a terrorist threat against a public servant.
Bexar County court records show that Caldera Jr. was also charged in 2023 with unlicensed carrying of a weapon.
Magistrate Judge Edith Brown set the bond at $75,000, which Caldera Jr. paid that night before he was released on house arrest, according to Bexar County Court records.
Texas state Sen. Tan Parker criticized officials for releasing Caldera Jr.
“Let me get this straight: a man accused of plotting an attack on the Texas Capitol, with a prior weapons charge, was arrested at 3 a.m. and bonded out the same morning? Parker posted on X. “That’s a joke.”
“This man is a danger to every Texan who walks through those doors and to communities across the state,” Parker added. “I will not tolerate this, and the individuals who allowed this to occur should be ashamed of themselves and removed from office.”
There was some confusion, however, about whether Caldera Jr. remained in custody Thursday in Bexar County. A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office said he made an an initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Chesney of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.
The spokesperson told The Epoch Times he was uncertain where the defendant would go after the hearing.
Caldera Jr. faces up to five years in prison. His court-assigned attorney, John Bunk, didn’t return a request for comment prior to publication time.
Visitors explore the rotunda during a special session at the Capitol in Austin, Texas, on Aug. 22, 2025. Stephen Spillman/AP Photo
FBI Director Kash Patel said he was proud of the Texas FBI agents for working with state and local partners to thwart a possible terror attack.
“Proud of our [FBI San Antonio] team for standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our state and local partners,” Patel stated on X. “Threaten Americans or our institutions and law enforcement will move FAST. Investigation ongoing.”
Texas authorities said they are stepping up law enforcement presence at the Capitol following the incident but don’t believe there is an ongoing threat.
Gov. Greg Abbott, who has his official office at the Capitol, thanked law enforcement for their efforts.
“Texas DPS and the FBI stopped a planned attack on the Texas Capitol,” Abbott said on X. “Texas will NOT tolerate threats of violence against our Capitol.”
