SAN ANTONIO – A north Bexar County man who pleaded guilty in connection with the attempted explosions at two Alamo City banks was officially sentenced in federal court Tuesday.
In a recent announcement from the Department of Justice, Dustin Jay Ammons, 44, was sentenced to 11 years and four months in federal prison. Ammons had previously pleaded guilty on April 30 to one felony count of possessing a firearm and another count of transporting explosives.
Initially, Ammons faced serious charges that could have resulted in up to 15 years in prison for the firearm possession charge and a maximum of 10 years for transporting explosives. However, both sentences will be served concurrently, meaning he will spend a total of 11 years and four months behind bars.
What the ATF Found
In December 2025, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) executed a search warrant at Ammons’ home located in the 300 block of Eugene Sasser, a neighborhood north of Stone Oak. This operation was prompted by suspicions surrounding Ammons’ activities.
According to neighbor Billie Thomas, the situation escalated quickly. She recounted hearing loud bangs followed by police commands to “come out with your hands up.” Residents in the area were advised to stay indoors while law enforcement managed the situation, including the detonation of explosives found in Ammons’ garage.
The ATF agents discovered a homemade lab containing pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) in the garage, along with firearms, magazines, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition scattered throughout the home. Shockingly, a pipe bomb was also located in his vehicle. Investigators later confirmed that Ammons had no registered weapons or explosives in his name and lacked the necessary permits to possess or manufacture explosive materials.
The Attempted Explosions
According to court documents, Ammons attempted to destroy two ATMs at separate banks in San Antonio on September 12 and September 26, 2025. The specific locations of these banks were not disclosed for safety reasons.
Surveillance footage revealed Ammons arriving at one of the banks in a black Ram 3500 pickup truck. He was dressed in black gloves, a hooded jacket, dark blue pants, and distinctive black and white training shoes. In the video, he can be seen placing what appeared to be pipe bombs at the ATMs. Fortunately, both attempts to explode the ATMs were unsuccessful.
