United States of America v. Sergio Renato Tapia

San Antonio, Texas, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with threatening to murder a Federal Officer.

Sergio Renato Tapia, 31, called the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park on July 24, 2023, and left a voicemail that included a violent threat to murder a National Park Service ranger. NPS rangers immediately recognized Tapia's voice and worked quickly with the U.S. Marshals Service to apprehend him on July 26.

NPS rangers had previously encountered Tapia on numerous occasions at Mission Concepcion, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to an active Catholic church, citing him several times for unlawful possession of a controlled substance. This week, in front of U.S. District Judge Jason Pulliam, the jury unanimously found Tapia had intentionally communicated a threat to murder a federal official, rejecting Tapia's insanity defense after deliberating for one hour.

The NPS and USMS investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Mangels is prosecuting the case.

18 USC 115 A provides:

(1) Whoever—

(A) assaults, kidnaps, or murders, or attempts or conspires to kidnap or murder, or threatens to assault, kidnap or murder a member of the immediate family of a United States official, a United States judge, a Federal law enforcement officer, or an official whose killing would be a crime under section 1114 of this title; or * * *

The Defendant was found guilty by a jury.