Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
A man who recently attempted to enter a church with a tactical rifle has been charged with a federal firearm crime, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Russell Alan Ragsdale, 25, was charged via criminal complaint with possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance. He was arrested on Friday and made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Renée Harris Toliver Monday morning.
According to court documents, Mr. Ragsdale entered a church at 5:05 p.m. on Nov. 2 alongside about 100 parishioners celebrating mass. At 5:07 p.m., Mr. Ragsdale stood from his front-row seat, approached the priest, embraced him, kissed him on both cheeks, and handed him a note that read, “may peace be with you.” Mr. Ragsdale exited the church at 5:13 p.m.
A minute later, Mr. Ragsdale opened his car, donned a black and white poncho, and allegedly retrieved a rifle from his trunk. He then closed the three gates to the parking lot. At 5:35 p.m., Mr. Ragsdale allegedly attempted to re-enter the church with his rifle. He could not gain access because the parishioners locked the doors.
For the next six minutes, a parishioner spoke to Mr. Ragsdale outside the church until police arrived. The arresting officer seized the rifle and noted the odor of alcohol coming from Mr. Ragsdale. His girlfriend later told police he was a parishioner at the church and mentioned he sometimes took medication to help him sleep.
During the investigation, agents learned about a murder case involving Mr. Ragsdale, who was arrested on Feb. 3, 2022 in Seagoville for the felony murder of his roommate. (The case was later dismissed.) At the time, Mr. Ragsdale told law enforcement that his roommate attacked him and claimed he “shot him many times” in self-defense. Officers recovered three firearms, including a 10mm Glock and an AR-15 rifle, and almost two grams of hallucinogenic mushrooms from the residence.
An analysis of Mr. Ragsdale’s phone showed a history of drug use dating back to November 2021, as well as evidence of purchasing and using hallucinogenic mushrooms on Feb. 2, 2022. For example, on Feb. 2, 2022, Mr. Ragsdale told a friend he took “2gs” of something “potent.” An interview of the victim’s friend revealed that the victim and Mr. Ragsdale had consumed mushrooms together shortly before he was killed.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Like all defendants, Mr. Ragsdale is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in federal prison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Dallas Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division, the Seagoville Police Department, and the Texas Department of Public Safety, which participated in the murder investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jongwoo Chung is prosecuting the case.