The Falkville man arrested for possession of firearms and explosive devices at the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot will remain in jail in Washington D.C. until his trial. 

Lonnie Leroy Coffman, 70, was arrested in the hours after the Capitol riot and indicted on 17 weapons charges after multiple firearms and 11 explosive devices described as “Molotov cocktails” were found in his vehicle parked near the Capitol building. He pleaded not guilty to all charges. 

Coffman has been in jail since his arrest, and on April 30 filed a motion to reconsider the detention order and allow him to be released until his trial. In an opinion and order filed on Monday, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly denied Coffman’s request to reconsider the detention order. 

The court documents also include additional information about Coffman’s arrest and the investigation into his actions before and during the Capitol riot. 

According to the documents, Coffman was arrested with a handwritten note with a quote attributed to President Abraham Lincoln stating: “We The People Are The Rightful Masters Of Both The Congress And The Courts, Not To Overthrow The Constitution But To Overthrow The Men Who Pervert The Constitution.”

The note also contained a list of names — including a specific federal judge who was called a “bad guy” and a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Another note found in his truck contained the names and contact information for conservative radio and television hosts Mark Levin and Sean Hannity along with Sen. Ted Cruz. 

Coffman also had documents connecting him with a Texas-based militia group called the “American Patriots,” and an address for a militia gathering site called “Camp Lonestar.” The FBI previously identified Coffman as a participant at Camp Lonestar in 2014. 

After his arrest, a law enforcement review of the GPS device that Coffman had in his truck found that he had traveled to Washington on Dec. 11, 2020 and driven around the Capitol, and he also attempted to drive to the home of Sen. Ted Cruz. Capitol Police also found that Coffman had called Cruz’s office on the same day.

Law enforcement officers searched Coffman’s house in January, and found more liquid-filled mason jars with hole-punched lids matching the ones he had in Washington, along with more firearms, ammunition and documents relating to a militia group called the “Southwest Desert Militia.”

They also found another handwritten list, which stated: “Use White Pages To Locate People.” That list then named specific individuals, along with corresponding descriptions transcribed next to their names. These descriptions included, for example: “ex Dem. Senator, traitor,” “Billionaire left[i]st, traitor,” “radical Dem. Senator,” “billionaire oilman & fund-raiser for Obama,” and “G.E., Obama’s lap dog.”

According to court documents from his indictment, Coffman is charged with one count of possession of an unregistered firearm for having 11 mason jars containing a mixture of “homemade napalm” with a golf tee in the top of each jar, cloth rags and lighters. 

He was also indicted on three counts of carrying a pistol without a license and three counts of possession of an unregistered firearm for having a 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun, a .22 caliber North American Arms revolver and a 9mm Hi-Point handgun on his person. 

He also faces two charges of carrying a rifle or shotgun outside home or place of businesses and two charges of possession of an unregistered firearm for having a Windham Weaponry rifle and a Hatfield Gun Company SAS shotgun.

Coffman also faces one charge of possessing a large capacity ammunition feeding device, and five charges of unlawful possession of ammunition for having .22 caliber rounds, 9mm rounds, 5.56mm rounds, .223 caliber rounds and shotgun shells.

Kollar-Kotelly’s order denying a reconsideration of his detention order cites his possession of multiple weapons on the day of the Capitol riot, along with the list of names and note referencing the need to overthrow those who pervert the Constitution. 

“Collectively, this evidence raises serious concerns about Mr. Coffman’s desire and ability to engage in politically motivated violence — armed with a substantial array of lethal weapons — to defend against perceived ‘election fraud,’” the order states. 

She also points to his ties to militia groups in Texas and possession of more explosives and firearms in his Falkville home, along with the flight risk he could pose after his ex-wife told federal agents that Coffman has been known to leave the state for months at a time with no contact with his family. 

“For the reasons set forth in this Memorandum Opinion & Order, the Court finds, by clear and convincing evidence, that no condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure the safety of any other person and the community were Mr. Coffman to be released pending trial,” the order states. “The Court further finds, by a preponderance of the evidence, that no condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure Mr. Coffman’s appearance as required if he were to be released pending trial.”