Lucas Gerhard, a 20-year-old student who was enrolled at Lake Superior State University (LSSU) in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., has been charged with making terroristic threats and faces years in prison for posting a picture of a legally-obtained rifle on social media.

Gerhard posted a picture in Aug. 2019 of his new firearm to a private Snapchat group with classmates, claiming that his AR-15 rifle would “make the snowflakes melt” when he returned to campus. The reference meant that far-left students would be triggered by his possession of the rifle and it would literally melt snow, as the LSSU campus is located in Michigan’s upper peninsula renowned for its icy conditions.

“Taking this bad boy up. This ought to make the snowflakes melt a — and I mean snowflakes as in snow,” he wrote on social media, according to a transcript of the preliminary examination obtained by Big League Politics.

Trending: HUGE: Mitt Romney Spokesman Reveals He’s Not an Automatic ‘No’ On SCOTUS Nominee Confirmation

One classmate in the private group – who stated in court proceedings that she did not feel threatened by the post – showed the picture to a left-leaning female student, who copied the image on her phone before they filed a complaint to the district supervisor. It was then kicked up to campus public safety, who got Sault Ste. Marie police involved in the matter.

take our poll - story continues below

Did Kyle Rittenhouse act in self defense? VOTE NOW: Did Kyle Rittenhouse act in self defense when he shot three BLM rioters?

Did Kyle Rittenhouse act in self defense when he shot 3 BLM rioters? * Yes, his life was in danger. No, his safety wasn’t threatened by an armed attacker.

Email *

Email This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Completing this poll grants you access to Big League Politics updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to this site's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

“I seen the picture, and when he said like make the snowflakes melt, it kind of made me assume that, um, kind of like as with the gun and shoot other civilians and stuff with it,” the woman who initiated the report said during questioning. She also mentioned that media coverage about mass shootings contributed to her panic when seeing the weapon and admitted to having prior political disputes with Gerhard over political matters.

Before Gerhard was even alerted to the controversy, he checked in his rifle and ammo at the campus armory as is required by LSSU. Police came and Gerhard consented to a search of his room, but they found nothing except a BB gun and a few hunting knives. Gerhard told police that he deleted the Snapchat post after people commented about its possibly offensive nature, and he was compliant with law enforcement while they questioned him.

Gerhard alerted his father, Mark, who drove hundreds of miles to campus from the Metro Detroit area to offer his son moral support. Despite the alleged terrorist emergency on campus, nothing was locked down and no precautions were taken by authorities. The Gerhards expected things to blow over, considering Lucas did nothing but exercise his 1st and 2nd Amendment rights. However, that was not the case as Lucas was apprehended the next day. He would be detained for several months in county jail.

LSSU President Rodney S. Hanley sent out a self-congratulatory letter for removing the so-called terror threat despite the fact that Lucas was allowed to walk around campus freely after the complaint was filed. They also gave Lucas his room key and allowed him access to virtually every building on campus while announcing nothing to the campus about the complaint.

Hanley called on other students to similarly spy on their peers to police wrongthink on campus in his e-mail.

“Today at approximately 8:45 a.m., Sault Sainte Marie Police and Public Safety officers removed an individual from campus. The individual is allegedly responsible for a social media posting that was potentially threatening to the safety and well-being of the LSSU community,” Hanley wrote.

“We are certain that the individual involved is no longer in the campus vicinity. The Public Safety Department takes this type of messaging seriously, and the University is working closely with the Sault Sainte Marie Police Department during the investigation,” he added.

Lucas’ father Mark, who is a retired Marine colonel that has worked for many years in the federal government, told Big League Politics that he understands why the campus would take a possible threat so seriously. What he doesn’t understand is why prosecutors would continue pursuing such a case when it is abundantly clear that his son poses no threat to public safety. As the case develops, it is becoming clear that the intent is to make a statement and strip Lucas of his constitutional liberties forever.

The deputy public defender tasked with leading the prosecution referred to a Snapchat post during the preliminary hearing in which Lucas referred to Democrats on campus as his “enemies” in an attempt to paint him as a dangerous threat, showing how this case is about the 1st Amendment as much as it is the 2nd.

The prosecutorial team has made it clear to Gerhard’s attorney that the intent is to take Lucas’ 2nd Amendment rights away from him for life. He spent a total of 83 days behind bars before he was finally allowed to be tethered back home on Nov. 13. He has already paid a tremendous cost for exercising his rights, and the trial has not even started.

“Mr. Gerhard did admit that he was referring to a civilian population known as like Democrats or liberal millennials; that he was looking to melt the snowflakes,” the prosecution argued during the preliminary exam.

“Obviously, melt can be interpreted by a factual basis. Your Honor, I think that that would be more so a question of fact for a jury,” the prosecution continued. “But, obviously, the people are intending that this would be melting and would be an act of a school shooting. A school shooting is clearly violent. Often times people are injured or murdered in school shootings. It’s inherently dangerous to human life.”

The prosecution also noted that “it’s not a defense… that the defendant did not have the intent or ability to commit terrorism,” showing how the justice system is being rigged against Lucas. Lucas’ father believes that LSSU is pressuring the prosecutor’s office to make an example of his son, possibly to satisfy the anti-conservative blood lust of the campus administrators in the age of Trump.

“I think it’s vindictive prosecution,” Mark Gerhard told Big League Politics. “The school is using this case as an example. They are showing zero tolerance. They are the 800 pound gorilla standing on the prosecutor’s shoulders saying we need to make an example.”

This conspiracy of liberal campus officials and opportunistic prosecutors is threatening to destroy a young conservative’s life. In an age where Trump supporters are being dehumanized and profiled as terrorist threats, Lucas is being railroaded as an example to all conservatives that they must sit down, shut up, and jettison their rights, or face the consequences.

Lucas is refusing to take any plea deal, and will fight the injustice in the courts. His father explains that they feel the case has broad ramifications that could impact many cases around the country.

“Lucas is adamant that he didn’t do this. He is not in any way or fashion looking to take a plea. He is going to fight this all the way through, which I think is a good thing,” Mark said.

“There are a lot of kids getting prosecuted under these kind of charges. If Lucas takes a plea, everyone following him is diminished. There are not going to be many opportunities for them to fight back against this after it becomes a precedent,” he added.

While Michigan does not yet have red flag laws on the books, Lucas’ case shows that lawful gun owners are under attack like never before. Citizen snitches, similar to Soviet Union, have been activated by the fake news hysteria to enforce Big Brother’s march against the 2nd Amendment. Pre-crime is the new norm, and the Orwellian Nightmare is the cruel reality facing us.

“My client is completely innocent. He is not a terrorist and made no threat of terrorism. This is what happens when victim mentality is rewarded,” attorney Nick Somberg told Big League Politics. He was recently retained as additional legal counsel to represent Lucas.

“Non-victims find ways to play a victim so they can feel special and like they “did something”. It is sad how far this has been allowed to go we are prepared to fight this case through a Jury Trial,” he added.

Gerhard is set to face a trial in the near future. Big League Politics will continue to provide updates as the case progresses. Supporters can donate to help defray his mounting legal fees here.