Full Breakdown
Georgia Teen Pleads Guilty After Bringing Loaded Shotgun to Capitol Grounds
7/28/2026, 2:06:18 PM
Capitol Run Ends in Guilty Plea
In February 2026, Carter Camacho, an 18-year-old from Smyrna, Georgia, entered a federal plea that admits illegal possession of a firearm on the United States Capitol grounds and receipt of child sexual abuse material. The plea was entered in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., and Camacho remains in custody pending sentencing in December 2026.
Incident Details
Surveillance footage shows Camacho exiting a parked Mercedes on Maryland Avenue near the Capitol, then sprinting toward the western steps of the building while carrying a loaded 12-gauge Mossberg Model 88 shotgun. He was dressed in camouflage clothing, a tactical-style vest, and wore a Kevlar helmet and gas mask, according to U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) officials. When a uniformed USCP officer confronted him, Camacho displayed the weapon; the officer ordered him to stop and lie down, which he complied with. Officers recovered the shotgun with seven shells in the tube, one shell in the chamber, and the safety disengaged, plus an additional 17 rounds stored in a carrier attached to the stock. A fixed-blade knife was also found near the vehicle.
Camacho told officers he intended to “talk” to a member of Congress and had purchased the shotgun less than a week earlier for “home defense.”
Legal Charges and Evidence
Camacho pleaded guilty to two counts: (1) unlawful possession of a firearm within the Capitol buildings or grounds, and receipt of visual depictions of sexually explicit conduct. The child-sexual-abuse-material (CSAM) charge stems from a search of his phone recovered from the vehicle, which contained dozens of images and more than 100 videos. Prosecutors noted that Camacho had purchased the CSAM, indicating a separate illegal activity beyond the Capitol incident.
Official Responses
U.S. Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan confirmed that the shotgun was loaded and that Camacho complied with officers’ commands after being challenged. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia released the plea information and highlighted the dual nature of the offenses—both a security breach at the Capitol and possession of illegal sexual content. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan M. Horan, who led the prosecution, emphasized that the plea reflects the seriousness of bringing a loaded firearm onto federal property and the separate federal child-exploitation statutes.
Sentencing Outlook
U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta has set a sentencing hearing for December 2026. While the court has not disclosed the specific penalties, federal sentencing guidelines for unlawful firearm possession on Capitol grounds and receipt of CSAM typically involve substantial prison terms, fines, and supervised release. Camacho will remain incarcerated until the sentencing decision is rendered.
Data & Statistics
- Weapon: Mossberg Model 88 12-gauge shotgun
- Ammunition on the gun: 7 rounds in the tube, 1 round in the chamber (safety off)
- Additional ammunition: 17 rounds in a stock-mounted carrier
- CSAM evidence: dozens of photos, over 100 videos
The case underscores heightened security concerns at the Capitol and the federal government’s commitment to prosecuting both weapons violations and child-exploitation offenses.
