Federal Charges Filed Against Sacramento Man for Possessing a Firearm in a School Zone

A criminal complaint was filed today against Brian Richard Girardot Jr., 20, of Sacramento, charging him with possessing a firearm within a school zone, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on Feb. 18, 2026, Girardot, a previous student at St. Mary Parish School, dropped his younger relative off at St. Mary Parish School in Sacramento. Girardot returned at approximately 9:30 a.m. and walked onto the property of St. Mary Catholic Church/St. Mary Parish School. He walked to the front of the church building and attempted to enter with a loaded firearm. The church was in the process of holding an Ash Wednesday mass, which had begun at 8 a.m. Girardot had additional ammunition and a camouflage jacket in his vehicle, which he had parked nearby.

Law enforcement conducted a search of Girardot's home and found a series of handwritten notes in a stack in his bedroom that contained references to suicide and threats.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sacramento Police Department are conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Wong is prosecuting the case.

In addition to the federal charge, Girardot has been charged criminally in state court.

If convicted, Girardot faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.