Man sentenced to 33 months for making threats against Howard students

An area man who made threats to kill black students at Howard University in 2015 has been sentenced to 33 months in prison, the Justice Department announced Friday.

John Edgar Rust, 26, had faced a maximum of five years in prison after pleading guilty in federal court in March to transmission in interstate commerce of a communication containing threats to injure the person of another. Rust was also ordered to pay $6458.28 in restitution to Howard University to cover the costs of the school’s response to Rust’s threat, according to a Justice Department press release.

John Rust mugshot

John Rust (Virginia Sex Offender Registery)

Rust, a resident of the Burgundy Village neighborhood, made the threats from the Panera on Richmond Highway on Nov. 11, 2015. According to prosecutors, Rust claimed he would kill black students on the Howard campus if they were still there after a certain time. His threat, which was loaded with racist language, was posted to an internet message board and then shared on Reddit, according to the Justice Department.

Howard officials increased security following the incident, and many students missed classes the following day out of fear, according to news reports.

Rust is a registered sex offender in Virginia, having been convicted of indecent liberties with a child by custodian and aggravated sexual battery in 2012.