Lance Giovanni Fontenot, Terroristic Threats, Texas 2016

BEAUMONT, Texas – Lance Giovanni Fontenot, a 23-year-old Beaumont native, has been locked behind bars for 21 months following his conviction on federal terroristic threat charges. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.

Fontenot’s scheme came to light on June 15, 2016, when he called the ExxonMobil refinery in Beaumont and falsely claimed that explosive devices were planted around the facility, a threat that sparked an immediate law enforcement response.

In court, it was revealed that Fontenot had a personal vendetta against a specific employee at the plant, which motivated his false alarm. He admitted to lying about the employee’s supposed ties to the terrorist organization ‘ISIS’ and intended the threat as revenge for their relationship’s end.

Investigations led by the Joint Terrorism Task Force, involving multiple agencies including the FBI and Beaumont Police Department, quickly pinpointed Fontenot as the culprit. He confessed to fabricating the entire incident, fully aware of the potential financial loss to ExxonMobil due to pipeline shutdowns.

In addition to his prison term, Fontenot is ordered to pay over $372,000 in restitution to ExxonMobil for costs incurred during the emergency response and pipeline shutdown.

This case serves as a stark reminder of the serious consequences facing those who threaten our nation’s critical infrastructure. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Woods prosecuted the case with dedication.

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