July 2019 AST Magazine AST July 2019 Magazine | Page 42

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In October 2018, Ayers pleaded
guilty to weapons of mass destruc-
tion and firearm charges and was
sentenced in February 2019 to 30
years in prison.
July 2019 - Edition 35
about two confidential informants
who had direct knowledge of Ayers’
activities.
Additionally, one informant told FBI
agents that Ayers liked to beat cats to
In addition to the collaborative in- death, striking them with a baseball
vestigation with local partners, the bat he named Lucille until they were
FBI credited the community—un- flattened.
derstandably on edge as the devices
continued to be found—for their vigi- Ayers was sentenced in feder-
lance and cooperation.
al court for using, attempting
A local church offered its parking lot
to serve as the location for the com-
mand post, and business owners
shared their surveillance footage.
to use, and threatening to use
weapons of mass destruction;
possession and discharge of a
firearm in furtherance of a vio-
lent crime; and use of an explo-
sive device during the commis-
sion of a felony.
“The citizens of the county were very
helpful. They were outstanding in
sharing their time, allowing us to re-
view their surveillance cameras, and United States District Judge Henry
answering our questions,” Evanina M. Herlong, Jr., of Greenville sen-
tenced Ayers to 361 months in fed-
said.“
eral prison and five years of super-
“They really did come to our aid and vised release. 
help us in this case.“
There is no parole in the federal sys-
FBI agent Ted Socha testified in court tem.
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