Texas Man Sentenced For Threatening To Kill At Least 200 Black People In YouTube Video

A Texas man has been sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for threatening to kill Black Lives Matter protesters in a YouTube video.

The federal court ordered 43-year-old Manuel Flores to jail on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to charges of transmitting a threatening communication in October 2020.

Flores admitted that he recorded and uploaded a YouTube video that had threatening comments against Black Lives Matter protesters. In addition to the jail sentencing, he has been ordered to serve a supervised release for a period of three years.

Flores made a video titled "N----- Lives Matter" in June, which showed him seated, visible only from knees down with an AR-15 style rifle on his feet. He said he would be traveling on Interstate 20 through Dallas in two days and challenged Black Lives protesters to stop him. He also stated that his dream was to "take out at least 200 n------," according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's office.

In the disturbing video, Flores said he had "500 rounds of something" and added, "Stop me, I'm pissed an [sic] I'm tired and I'm ready," the complaint stated.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Flores, a truck driver from El Paso, on June 15 after an online tip-off, reported local news outlet El Paso Times. He was arrested on a federal charge for making an online threat and has remained in federal custody since then.

Flores told the investigators that he had eight or nine beers before recording the video and could not remember what he had said. He was "remorseful and apologetic" while talking to the agents. Flores logged into his YouTube account and deleted the video in their presence, documents stated.

"During this time of polarized political discord, peaceful protest is an important right that must be safeguarded and those who threaten to harm others, commit acts of violence, destroy property or attack law enforcement must be held accountable for their criminal behavior," U.S. Attorney Gregg Sofer said in a statement Tuesday.

"Now more than ever we must respect the rule of law," Sofer said. "Today's sentence should serve as a warning to anyone who would choose to threaten or harm others – you will be federally prosecuted and sent to federal prison."