Ohio Man Planned Terrorist Attack, Sentenced To 6 Years

TOLEDO, OH — Vincent Armstrong has been sentenced to 72 months in prison for planning a terrorist attack in Toledo's entertainment district. Armstrong's girlfriend and co-conspirator, Elizabeth Lecron, was already sentenced to 180 months in prison and a lifetime of supervised release.

“This defendant admitted to helping plot and plan a mass-casualty attack in Toledo,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman. “His sentence reflects the seriousness of the charges against him and should serve as a reminder to all who live in our district and beyond — we will never stop working to protect our families, friends and neighbors.”

Lecron and Armstrong began dating in February 2018 and then moved into a home together in the Toledo area. Shortly after they met, Lecron spoke about her interest in mass murderers and introduced Armstrong to the "True Crime Community," the plea agreement said.

Lecron would regularly post items to Tumblr about the Columbine High School shooters and the Charleston church shooter, Dylann Roof. The affidavit against Lecron said she tried to send Nazi literature to Roof.

The infatuation with mass killings quickly turned to a plot. The couple began planning their own terrorist attack in April 2018, according to their plea agreement. They referred to their plan as "D-Day" and discussed using guns and explosives at a Toledo bar, the plea agreement said.

Armstrong owned an AK-47 and Lecron purchased a shotgun. They practiced using their weapons at a shooting range, the plea agreement said.

Lecron then showed Armstrong a website detailing how to make improvised bombs and the couple decided to build a pipe bomb, the plea agreement and court documents said. The couple also discussed what to wear during the attack, settling on emulating the Columbine shooters.

According to court documents, Lecron bought combat boots that she felt would not slip on blood during the attack, and a T-shirt that said "False Prophet." In a journal entry, Lecron wrote that she was exhausted by visiting friends but that "D-Day will be my salvation," the Department of Justice noted.

On December 10, 2018, law enforcement searched Armstrong and Lecron's house and cars. In the cars, they found a duffel bag with a tactical vest and two loaded magazines for an AK-47, two loaded magazines for a pistol, a gas mask, and printed instructions on how to make various bombs, the Department of Justice said. Inside the house, law enforcement found an AK-47, two shotguns, two handguns and ammunition.

The FBI and Department of Justice announced Lecron and Armstrong's arrest on December 10, 2018. Both Lecron and Armstrong then pleaded guilty to charges of planning a terrorist attack.

“With the sentencing of this potential mass murderer, as was the case in his co-conspirators, residents of Toledo and NW Ohio are safer. Sadly, these individuals reside not only in our major cities, but also much closer to home. I commend the relationships and collaborations we have with of local, state and federal law enforcement partners. Toledoans can sleep soundly knowing that law enforcement will never cease in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of those who want to hurt innocent people," said Toledo Police Chief George Kral.