Billy Joe Cagle: Criminal history of man arrested at Atlanta airport

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Billy Joe Cagle Photos courtesy of Georgia Department of Corrections and Clayton County Sheriff's Office

ATLANTA - Billy Joe Cagle, 49, of Cartersville, was arrested Oct. 20 at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport after allegedly threatening to shoot up the airport.

Cagle's criminal history

What we know:

He faces multiple state charges, including terroristic threats, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, criminal attempt to commit aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Police records show Cagle has a non-violent criminal history dating back to the late 1990s.

In 1999, he was arrested (along with three others) for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute after selling one ounce during a police-controlled buy. Cartersville police officers found eight ounces of marijuana and eight firearms at his home. Cagle was convicted, sentenced to eight years, and served several months in prison before his release in November 2000.

While marijuana laws have evolved nationwide, the drug remains illegal in Georgia under both state and federal law. Although some cities, including Atlanta, have decriminalized small amounts in recent years, Cartersville has not adopted such measures. Penalties for possession and selling marijuana in Georgia have traditionally been considered some of the harshest in the United States.

In 2001, Cartersville police responded to a report of disorderly conduct at an Applebee’s, where Cagle and an ex-girlfriend had a heated argument, but no arrests were made. His only other Georgia record is a 2018 citation for an expired tag following a crash in which another driver was found at fault. Cartersville police did not provide any other records of possible criminal activity in recent years.

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As a convicted felon, Cagle is not allowed to possess a firearm. During the incident on Monday, police say they recovered a Springfield AR-15 rifle with 27 rounds of ammunition inside his truck parked outside Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

What happened on Monday

What we know:

According to police, family members contacted Cartersville police after seeing threats made by Cagle on social media. The Cartersville Police Department and Bartow County alerted the Atlanta Police Department around 9:40 a.m. Monday and shared a photo of Cagle.

Police said Cagle entered the terminal through door S1 at 9:31 a.m. and had been inside for about 20 minutes before officers spotted him. Officers arrested him at 9:54 a.m., less than 15 minutes after being notified of the threats.

What they're saying:

Family and friends told FOX 5 Atlanta that Cagle has struggled recently with mental health issues.

His brother, Scott Nelson, told FOX 5 Atlanta that Cagle "wasn’t in his right mind" when he showed up at the airport, insisting his sibling "wouldn’t hurt anybody." A longtime friend, Nick Roberts, said he reached out after seeing concerning Facebook posts, and Cagle admitted he needed to restart his medication. It appears that Cagle went to Cass High School in White, Georgia, and has two daughters.

What's next:

Cagle has now been charged with several federal crimes in addition to the state crimes as a result of the incident at the world's busiest airport. The federal charges include attempted violence at an international airport, interstate communications containing threats to injure the person of another, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. State charges include terroristic threats, criminal attempt to commit aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Atlanta police announced during a press conference on Tuesday that he was being transferred to federal custody.

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