Texas man with politician hit list, illegally 3D printed rifle sentenced to eight years

A Texas man who made a hit list of politicians and illegally 3D-printed a rifle was sentenced to eight years in prison Wednesday, according to authorities.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Texas said that Eric Gerard McGinnis was arrested in July 2017 in a wooded area just outside of Dallas after police heard shots fired in the area.

Officers found McGinnis with a semi-automatic rifle, with one portion created by a 3D printer.

{mosads}McGinnis was on a protective order after a violent altercation with his girlfriend in 2015, making it illegal for him to have a firearm or ammunition.

Officers also discovered a list labeled “9/11/2001 list of American Terrorists” in McGinnis’s bag, which included the office and home addresses of many Republican and Democratic lawmakers.

Forensic analysis shared by the U.S. attorney’s office found that McGinnis “had a strong interest in” James Hodgkinson, the man who opened fire at a Republican Congressional baseball practice in 2017, seriously injuring Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.).

McGinnis was found guilty Wednesday of possessing an unregistered short barrel rifle and unlawfully possessing ammunition while under the protective order.

“When he realized he couldn’t legally purchase a firearm, Eric McGinnis circumvented our gun laws by 3D-printing his weapon, eliminating the need for a background check,” regional U.S. attorney Nealy Cox said.

“This case should send a message to prohibited persons contemplating acquiring guns by any method: this office is committed to keeping guns out of the hands of those who violate protective orders for domestic violence, no matter how the guns are obtained – by theft, purchase, or 3D printing.”

3D printing guns is not illegal, but states around the country are suing to stop the distribution of blueprints for how to make them over the internet.

Proponents of say sharing the instructions are protected under the First Amendment.