SEGUIN, Texas – Seguin police on Sunday said officers arrested an armed man who was wearing a surgical face guard and tactical-style clothing after he told authorities he was on his way to a church to fulfill a "prophecy."
That man, 33-year-old Tony Dwayne Albert, was booked at the Guadalupe County Jail on charges of possession of marijuana and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Seguin police have called in the Texas Rangers, FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for assistance in their investigation.
Where is he from?
According to two public records databases, Albert had addresses in Houston and Missouri City. Seguin police said Albert is from the Houston area.
Authorities said they are unsure if Albert was staying in Seguin prior to his arrest, and it's unclear why he was in Seguin.
Albert's criminal record
Albert's criminal record dates back to 2009, when he was arrested by the Harris County Constable's Office for driving while intoxicated. According to public records, Albert was convicted on that charge in 2010.
In 2014, he was arrested on a charge of possession of marijuana. He pleaded no contest to the charge in 2015.
A year after pleading no contest, he was arrested on a state jail felony charge of attempting to take a weapon from a peace officer. A judge ordered him to serve two years of community supervision in July 2017.
The terms of his community supervision include refraining from committing any criminal offenses in the U.S. and reporting any new arrests to Houston authorities within 24 hours. His probation also prohibited him from leaving Harris County without seeking prior approval.
It appears the case against Albert would be dismissed or he would avoid conviction if he satisfied the conditions of his probation, which, court documents state, was scheduled to expire in 2019.
READ THE CONDITIONS OF COMMUNITY SUPERVISION
In March 2017, he was arrested and charged with assault causing bodily injury against a family member. He pleaded guilty to the charge and spent 80 days behind bars.
Now, Albert is charged with possession of marijuana and being a felon in possession of a firearm, as he was considered a felon at the time of his arrest.
Possible military service
Albert's state jail felony case was heard in a Harris County veterans' court.
The program is described as a court to "increase access to mental health and addictions treatment for those veterans with felony and misdemeanor offenses by diverting veterans directly into VA treatment, reducing jail time, costs, and criminal recidivism, while improving mental health recovery and successful re-entry into the community."
KSAT has not confirmed whether Albert served in the military.
Albert claimed in court filings he was '(associated) with Messianic Judaism and the First Church of Cannabis'
Police said Albert sought an unknown church to fulfill a "prophecy." Court documents revealed Albert's religious beliefs.
Albert wrote in a 2018 court filing that he "(associated) with Messianic Judaism and the First Church of Cannabis." In the filing, Albert explained that his affiliation with the First Church of Cannabis was a "very private and secretive one" and that he used marijuana as a "sacrament." According to Jewish Voice, Messianic Judaism integrates Christian beliefs with Jewish beliefs.