Toy gun looks like the real thing
Nov. 30—A rifle that looked like the real thing now has a Pauls Valley man facing a criminal charge after he not only pointed it at a police officer but simulated the act of firing a weapon.
Even though the rifle is described more as a toy gun it won't keep Jonas Martin Levy, 21, from getting in trouble with the law.
Last week Levy was hit with a formal count of feloniously pointing a firearm after he used a replica toy gun commonly used in airsoft sports to aim it at an officer driving by his residence in the 500 block of West Paul.
It was back on Nov. 17 when Pauls Valley Assistant Police Chief Derrick Jolley, who only recently accepted a promotion to chief with the upcoming retirement of Mitch McGill, said he walked out in front of the local police station to see Officer Jeremy Castro driving northbound on South Pine.
Jolley also reports seeing Levy, whose residence is next to the station, standing in his home's yard.
"I watched Levy raise what appeared to be a black colored rifle with a scope above his hip and point the rifle toward Officer Castro's vehicle," Jolley stated in a court filed affidavit.
"I saw Levy rock his body back and forth as if he were imitating firing the weapon."
Seconds later Jolley, Castro and other officers converged on Levy's residence. There they took their positions and yelled out for Levy to come back outside. When Levy opened the door he had no weapon.
When asked about the rifle Levy is reported to have said it was an airsoft gun, which also had an empty magazine when found inside by officers.
"The rifle was comparable in size, shape and appearance to many firearms I have experience with," Jolley said.
"The rifle had a realistic bolt handle and a non-functioning ejection point in the upper receiver with a portion of the bolt displayed.
"Officer Castro told me that he thought Levy was pointing a real firearm at him. He said that during the incident he feared Levy was going to shoot him or his vehicle."
According to the affidavit filed with the charge, Levy admitted to pointing the replica gun at the officer.
Levy claimed he didn't know Castro's name but he knew he was a police officer.
A look at Levy's criminal background shows he's had previous run-ins with local officers.
This past August he was handed two felony charges for kicking officers. In a plea deal Levy was given a five-year suspended sentence.
In September 2021 he received one felony count after an incident with two other officers. This past summer Levy was sentenced to a three-year deferred term on the charge.
