Cherokee County felon indicted in the Eastern District of Texas related to shooting of Jacksonville police officer

TYLER, Texas –A Jacksonville convicted felon has been indicted and charged with federal firearms violations in connection with the shooting of a police officer in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

Bobby Michael Dennis, 64, was named in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to information presented in court, on November 2, 2025, Dennis is alleged to have opened fire on a Jacksonville police officer, striking her twice, with an AR-15-style rifle when the officer attempted to identify him pursuant to multiple outstanding warrants.  After firing numerous rounds at the officer, her K9, and her car, Dennis fled, leading to a multi-agency manhunt, during which Jacksonville-area schools canceled classes for two days. A search warrant executed at Dennis’ residence in Jacksonville resulted in the discovery of four additional firearms. Dennis was apprehended on the evening of November 5, 2025, during the execution of a search warrant at a bunker he built near Cuney.  An additional firearm was recovered from the bunker.

Dennis is prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law as a three-time convicted felon, with previous convictions for aggravated robbery in Smith County and aggravated assault and possession of a controlled substance in Pulaski County, Arkansas.

If convicted of the federal firearms charges, Dennis faces up to life in prison.

This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the FBI; Homeland Security Investigations; Cherokee County District Attorney’s Office; Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office; Jacksonville Police Department; Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division; and the Texas Rangers. The case is being prosecuted in federal court by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Locker and Lucas Machicek.

A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt.  All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

###