MEMPHIS, TENN.- Daniel Cowart, 20, of Bells, Tennessee and Paul Schlesselman, 18, of West Helena, Arkansas indicted today by a Federal Grand Jury announced Lawrence J. Laurenzi, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, James M. Cavanaugh, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives-Nashville Field Division, and Richard Harlow, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service-Memphis Field Office. Cowart and Schlesselman were charged with seven counts of federal law violations including Conspiracy to Rob a Federal Firearms Licensee, Conspiracy to Transport and Transportation of a Firearm Across State Lines with the Intent to Commit A Crime, Conspiracy to Transport and Transportation of a Short Barreled Shotgun Across State Lines, Possession of a Short Barreled Shotgun, and Making a Threat Against a Major Candidate for the Office of President of the United States.

           “The indictment against defendants Cowart and Schlesselman alleges several violations of federal firearms laws and threats against a presidential candidate,” said Lawrence J. Laurenzi, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee. “This is an ongoing investigation.”

          According to the indictment, Cowart and Schlesselman conspired with each other, using the internet for over a month, to steal firearms from a gun store. The indictment states that Cowart had photos of and a floor plan of a firearms store in Madison County, Tennessee and that it was the intent of the defendants to rob this store in order to obtain weapons to support a plan for further robberies and a killing spree.

          The indictment alleges that Schlesselman sawed off the barrel to a shotgun and transported it as well as other weapons and ammunition across State lines when Cowart picked up Schlesselman from Arkansas. The indictment further alleges that the two defendants also went to two pawn shops and to Walmart where they purchased additional ammunition, rope, and ski masks to help them in their robberies and killing spree.

          As further noted in the indictment, the two defendants, on separate occasions made threats to kill Barack Obama, a major candidate for the Office of the President of the United States. According to the Affidavit of Complaint filed earlier in this case, these threats were made as a culmination to the defendants’ plan of a killing spree.

          Count One of the indictment carries a penalty of up to five years in prison. Counts Two through Five each carry a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. The charge of Making a Threat Against a Presidential Candidate carries a penalty of up to five years in prison.

          This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the United States Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Crockett County Sheriff’s Office.

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