DALLAS – John Edward Porter, 50, learned his fate Thursday: more than six years in federal prison. The sentence isn’t for direct involvement in the March shooting at Arlington’s Lamar High School, but for a cold, hard fact – a prior felony conviction meant he shouldn’t have had a single firearm, let alone a small arsenal.
Porter pleaded guilty in May to being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman handed down the 77-month sentence, acknowledging the gravity of the situation, even if Porter wasn’t pulling the trigger at the school. The case stems from the aftermath of the March 20th shooting, where a 15-year-old allegedly opened fire, killing one student and wounding another.
ATF agents, swarming Porter’s apartment shortly after the shooting, didn’t find a grieving father, they found a cache of weapons. Court documents reveal paperwork linking Porter to a Mossberg 500, 12-gauge shotgun – the very gun used in the school attack. The shotgun wasn’t purchased directly by Porter; a relative acted as a straw buyer, but the connection was undeniable. Agents also uncovered a Smith & Wesson .357 revolver, a Glock .40 caliber pistol, and a Smith & Wesson M&P .556 caliber rifle hidden inside Porter’s bedroom.
Porter’s criminal history is a long one. Back in 1996, he was convicted of first-degree robbery and sexual battery in Louisiana. That conviction, a permanent mark, legally barred him from owning any firearms. But Porter tried anyway. Records show he attempted to purchase guns from licensed dealers in both 2014 and 2020, both attempts failing when background checks flagged his felony status. He didn’t learn his lesson.
While Porter is facing the consequences, his son, the alleged shooter, remains the focus of the state’s murder and aggravated assault charges. He’s presumed innocent until proven guilty. But the prosecution’s case is undoubtedly strengthened by the discovery of the illegal firearms, and the knowledge that the weapon used in the attack originated from a father who knowingly broke the law.
The investigation was a joint effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Dallas Field Division and the Arlington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Gatto led the prosecution. This case serves as a grim reminder: the illegal flow of firearms doesn’t just happen in the shadows; sometimes, it starts at home.
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