Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A Louisville, Kentucky, man, who allegedly threatened police in a social media video while brandishing weapons has been charged federally, announced U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman. The resulting investigation and arrest will help keep police safe, and shows all levels of law enforcement working in coordination to take an armed felon who was threatening officers off of the streets.

“Louisville needs healing and safety for its citizens, not armed felons seeking bids to shoot police,” said U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman. “Federal law enforcement here will continue to respond as one to swiftly mitigate threats to our city.”

“Threats against law enforcement are unacceptable,” stated Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the Louisville Field Division of ATF. “When you threaten police and brandish firearms, you can expect the attention of ATF. This morning ATF agents, with the immediate assistance of LMPD, HSI, U.S. Marshal’s, and the FBI, executed a warrant and arrested an armed felon ensuring he wouldn’t carry out those threats.”

Cortez Lamont Edwards, 29, of Louisville, Kentucky, has been charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to the criminal complaint, on September 23, 2020, Edwards went live on Facebook in possession of an AR variant pistol including a non-extendible support brace with an extended magazine. In the video Edwards states he is requesting being paid $30,000.00 to shoot Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) officers on scene for a disturbance in the street in front of his residence. An investigation revealed that Edwards is a convicted felon based on a felony conviction in case number 19-CR-001861 from Jefferson Circuit Court, Jefferson County, Kentucky for Complicity to Trafficking in a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

On September 27, 2020, Special Agents from the ATF, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), United States Marshal Service, Federal Protective Service and officers and detectives from the Louisville Metro Police Department executed a search warrant at Edwards’ residence without incident. The defendant was located laying on a couch in the living room of his residence. A Glock model 19, 9-millimeter semi-automatic pistol, bearing serial number BPHA723, was located on the couch where Edwards was sleeping at the time of entry into the residence. At the time of entry into the living room, Edwards was the only adult present in that room and there a toddler present in a playpen.

If convicted at trial, the maximum sentence for unlawfully possessing a firearm is no more than ten years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.

A federal complaint is a written statement of the essential facts of the offense charged and must be made under oath before a United States Magistrate Judge. The charge set forth in a complaint is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The case is being investigated by Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, Louisville Metro Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Marshals Service, and United States Secret Service.

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