Nightmare raid uncovers horror: Florida man allegedly planned race-based massacre with homemade explosives
Florida – Federal prosecutors have charged a 20-year-old Florida man with multiple serious offenses after investigators say they uncovered illegal weapons, extremist material, and child se*ual abuse content during a search of his home.
According to the Department of Justice, an indictment returned in Tampa charges Lucas Alexander Temple with possessing an unregistered firearm, possessing a firearm with an altered serial number, and receiving child se*ual abuse material. If convicted on all counts, Temple faces a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. He had previously been taken into custody on a criminal complaint tied to the same investigation.
The charges stem from a federal search warrant executed at Temple’s Sarasota residence on November 20, 2025. During the search, agents recovered a shotgun with a sawed-off barrel that was not registered to Temple. Federal law requires shotguns with barrels shorter than 18 inches to be registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Authorities allege Temple did not have the required registration, making possession of the weapon illegal.
Investigators say the search revealed more than just the unregistered firearm. Agents found multiple weapons, ammunition, pipe bombs, and a pressure cooker, along with written materials explaining how to manufacture explosives. Officials also recovered a written plan outlining Temple’s alleged intentions, which prosecutors say reflected preparation for a racially motivated act of violence.
Court documents further describe the discovery of extremist propaganda at the home, including Nazi-related materials and writings linked to past mass shootings. Among the items seized were journals associated with the perpetrators of the 1999 Columbine High School massacre and a large flag displaying the symbol of the Atomwaffen Division, a U.S.-based racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist group.
Authorities allege Temple had been communicating online with other individuals who shared similar extremist views. According to investigators, these communications included discussions about committing violence against minorities and sharing instructions on how to build explosive devices.
In addition to the firearms and extremism-related allegations, investigators say they uncovered evidence involving se*ual exploitation of a minor. Agents allege that on at least two occasions, the Sarasota man received images depicting a minor engaged in se*ually explicit conduct. Those findings resulted in the child se*ual abuse material charge included in the indictment.
The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, with assistance from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office and the Sarasota Police Department. Federal prosecutors handling the case include Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Stoia and Risha Asokan.
Temple remains subject to the federal court process, and the allegations outlined in the indictment have not yet been proven in court.
