A Seagoville man has been sentenced to federal prison for possessing a firearm while under the influence of hallucinogenic mushrooms. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Nancy E. Larson.
Russell Alan Ragsdale, 25, has been in custody since his arrest on November 22, 2024. He pled guilty on April 29, 2025, to possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance. On July 17, 2025, Senior United States District Judge Barbara M. G. Lynn sentenced him to 66 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Court documents reveal that Ragsdale was arrested on February 3, 2022, in Seagoville for the felony murder of his roommate. Ragsdale claimed self-defense at the time but admitted during his guilty plea that he was intoxicated from consuming hallucinogenic mushrooms when he possessed a firearm.
Judge Lynn noted during sentencing that Ragsdale did not provide sufficient evidence for his self-defense claim and attributed the victim's death to Ragsdale's actions. He remains in custody pending transfer to the Bureau of Prisons.
The investigation was conducted by several agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Dallas Police Department with assistance from other local and state law enforcement agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jongwoo Chung prosecuted the case.
