Cortez Lamont Edwards, Threatening Police, Kentucky 2020

LOUISVILLE, KY – A Louisville man, Cortez Lamont Edwards, 29, is facing federal charges after allegedly threatening to shoot Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) officers in a disturbing Facebook Live video. The incident sparked a rapid, coordinated response from multiple federal agencies and local law enforcement, culminating in his arrest and the seizure of a firearm.

According to a criminal complaint, Edwards went live on Facebook on September 23, 2020, openly displaying an AR variant pistol with an extended magazine. In the video, he explicitly stated he was soliciting $30,000.00 in exchange for shooting LMPD officers responding to a disturbance near his residence. The brazen threat quickly drew the attention of federal investigators.

“Louisville needs healing and safety for its citizens, not armed felons seeking bids to shoot police,” declared U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman. “Federal law enforcement here will continue to respond as one to swiftly mitigate threats to our city.” The investigation revealed Edwards is no stranger to the law, with a prior felony conviction in Jefferson Circuit Court – case number 19-CR-001861 – for Complicity to Trafficking in a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

On September 27, 2020, a joint task force comprised of agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Marshals Service, Federal Protective Service, and officers from the Louisville Metro Police Department executed a search warrant at Edwards’ home. Agents found Edwards lying on a couch in the living room, a Glock model 19, 9-millimeter semi-automatic pistol (serial number BPHA723) resting beside him. A toddler was present in a nearby playpen during the search.

“Threats against law enforcement are unacceptable,” stated Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division. “When you threaten police and brandish firearms, you can expect the attention of ATF.” The arrest was executed without incident, effectively removing a potentially dangerous individual from the streets.

Cortez Lamont Edwards is now charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. It’s critical to remember that a federal complaint is merely an accusation, and Edwards is presumed innocent until proven guilty. The case is being jointly investigated by ATF, LMPD, HSI, U.S. Marshals, and the United States Secret Service.

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