Eric Sheppard

VALDOSTA, Ga. — A former Valdosta State University student who received national attention for walking on the American flag will be sentenced in August on an unrelated firearm charge, according to the district attorney.

Eric Sheppard pleaded guilty May 31 to one count of carrying a weapon in a school safety zone, said Southern District Attorney David Miller.

Sentencing will take place Aug. 29, he said.

The case stems from an incident where a gun was found in a book bag on the VSU campus last spring.

VSU police and the Valdosta Police Department connected the weapon to Sheppard in the days after he had walked across an American flag on campus last April.

Sheppard’s protest received national attention when former Air Force trainer and Playboy model Michelle Manhart attempted to stop further protests by taking the flag. Campus police detained but did not arrest Manhart. Police returned the flag to the protestors. A few days later, authorities discovered the gun on campus. VSU police investigators connected the gun to the suspect through pawn shop receipts.

A warrant was issued for Sheppard’s arrest, and authorities spent more than a month looking for him.

While avoiding custody, Sheppard shared a manifesto with The Valdosta Daily Times claiming he would “annihilate” anyone who tried to take him into custody.

Sheppard was arrested in Tampa, Fla. He was extradited to Lowndes County.

He was granted bond at $25,000 on several conditions, such as being banned from VSU campus, banned from social media, confinement to his mother’s Cobb County residence from 7 p.m.-7 a.m., restricted to staying in Cobb County, wearing an ankle monitor, and being monitored daily by the Southern District Attorney’s office.

Terry Richards is senior reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times.