Nicholas J. Ganjei United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
A resident of Corpus Christi, Texas, has been sentenced to prison for illegal possession of a firearm and unregistered pipe bombs. U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei announced the development after a three-day trial concluded with the jury finding 36-year-old Robert Spencer guilty on November 6, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos sentenced Spencer to 180 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. During the sentencing hearing, the court heard that the firearm Spencer was found with was used in a murder earlier that day.
On August 3, 2022, law enforcement responded to a report of gunfire in Corpus Christi's Nueces and Van Loan Avenue area. Spencer, armed, fled into his house, initiating a standoff with police that lasted an hour. During the standoff, Spencer reportedly fired two gunshots and demanded police leave. He was eventually arrested without possessing a firearm.
A search of Spencer’s property revealed a rifle, six pipe bombs, three firearms, and ammunition in the attic. Spencer admitted to assembling the pipe bombs, which were confirmed to be destructive devices as defined by law and were not registered with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
Spencer, a convicted felon, is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition. His defense argued that he was unaware of the firearms in his attic and that the pipe bombs were not effective as explosive devices. However, the jury did not accept these claims and convicted him as charged.
“The standoff in this case was fortunately resolved peacefully. Nevertheless, this defendant needlessly created a dangerous situation for himself, the police, and the community at large,” stated U.S. Attorney Ganjei. “I would like to thank the jury for their attention and service in this case.”
Spencer remains in custody while awaiting transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The investigation was conducted by the Corpus Christi Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Overman and Ashley Martin.
