A Texas man who vowed online that he would succeed where another failed has now admitted guilt in federal court, facing years behind bars for his chilling threats against Donald Trump.
Robert Herrera, 52, appeared before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth S. Chestney this week and formally pleaded guilty to one count of making threats against the President of the United States, according to the Department of Justice. The plea marks the dramatic end of a case that rattled federal authorities just months after a real-life assassination attempt on Trump during a campaign rally.
It all began on July 10, when San Antonio’s KSAT shared a Facebook story about Trump’s upcoming visit to Texas Hill Country following devastating floods. In the comments section, Herrera, posting under the name “Robert Herrer,” left a menacing response that immediately set off alarms.
Robert Herrera, 52, from San Antonio, Texas, was arrested for threatening President Donald Trump ahead of his visit to Kerr County. He allegedly posted “I won’t miss” on Facebook with a photo from the 2024 assassination attempt and an image of himself holding an assault rifle. He pic.twitter.com/6IgHqkZV7x
— DEEZY’S BLOGG 🇬🇭 (@DEEzy_503) July 12, 2025
Herrera attached a photo showing Trump surrounded by Secret Service agents, snapped just moments after Thomas M. Crooks opened fire on him at a Butler, Pennsylvania rally on July 13, 2024. Trump had narrowly survived that attempt, grazed in the ear by a sniper’s bullet.
Alongside the photo, Herrera added a blunt caption: “I won’t miss.”
The menace didn’t stop there. According to prosecutors, another Facebook user replied to Herrera’s post, warning him, “you won’t get the chance, I promise.”
Instead of backing down, Herrera doubled down. He fired back with another post: “I’ll just come for you.” This time, the threat came with a photo of an assault rifle and loaded magazines.
That was enough for law enforcement. Within hours, authorities tracked Herrera down and took him into custody.
The case quickly landed in the hands of the U.S. Secret Service, the FBI, the San Antonio Police Department, and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Working together, investigators built the evidence that ultimately led Herrera to fold in court this week.
While the official criminal complaint hasn’t been made public yet, prosecutors say the Facebook comments made his intentions crystal clear.
“While the FBI fully supports and defends every American’s right to free speech, it is important to understand that threatening violence against any individual is not constitutionally protected speech, it is a federal crime,” Aaron Tapp, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office, said shortly after Herrera’s arrest.
Herrera’s guilty plea now sets the stage for a sentencing hearing, though no date has been set. When he returns to court, he’ll face a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and a fine that could reach $250,000.
For a man who once boasted, “I won’t miss,” his fate is now firmly in the hands of the judge. What’s certain is that federal prosecutors, still on high alert after last summer’s real assassination attempt on Trump, wanted to send a loud message: online threats against a president won’t be brushed off as empty words.
As for Herrera, his online bravado has ended with a guilty plea, and the only thing left uncertain is how long he’ll spend behind bars.
