Centerville man who made online threats to commit school shooting sentenced to 6 years in prison for possessing machine gun

DAYTON, Ohio - A Centerville, Ohio, man was sentenced in federal court here today to 72 months in prison for possessing a machine gun. The defendant used an uzi-style weapon during a YouTube video in which he threatens to commit a mass shooting at a California school.

The Court imposed an upward variance from the sentencing guidelines in the sentence imposed today against Alex Jaques, 23.

According to court documents, on Nov. 15, 2022, the FBI National Threat Operations Center received a tip about a video Jaques posted on YouTube.

In the video, Jaques uses multiple firearms to shoot a Chromebook computer and threatens to attack Washington Middle School in Salinas, California. The Chromebook has a Washington Middle School sticker affixed to it.

Before shooting the computer, Jaques stabs it multiple times with a screwdriver and uses a power drill on it. The video shows an uzi-style weapon being discharged in rapid succession and multiple shots fired from a rifle-style weapon.

Law enforcement communicated with school officials in Salinas, California, and discovered that Jaques had been a student at a school within the same county. Jaques says in the video that he plans to return to the area to "fill out my list of duties" and has kept "names and addresses of people who have wronged me." Just before shooting the computer, Jaques says, "yeah okay so Washington Middle School you are next."

Other videos on Jaques's YouTube page depict the defendant driving while shooting a pistol at street signs.

Jaques also commented publicly on a YouTube video of family members of the mass school shooting in Parkland, Florida in which 17 people were killed. Jaques commented "Bullies families get their final day in court" and "I will do my own parkland."

While executing a search warrant on Jaques's residence, vehicle and person, FBI agents seized eight firearms, including an uzi-style weapon, hand grenades and other explosives equipment.

Jaques was arrested in November 2022. He pleaded guilty to a superseding bill of information in March 2023.

Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorneys Christina Mahy and Nicholas Dingeldein are representing the United States in this case.

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