Frank James Pleads Guilty To Terrorism In NYC Subway Shooting

NEW YORK CITY — Frank James admitted he carried out a mass shooting in a subway car last year that left 10 people riddled with bullets and terrified New Yorkers.

James, 63, pleaded guilty to federal terrorism charges Tuesday, the Associated Press first reported.

The guilty plea — which covered all 11 counts against James, including 10 counts of committing a terrorist attack against mass transit — will hold James accountable for an act of mass violence, said Attorney General Merrick Garland.

“As described in court filings, the defendant set off a smoke bomb in a New York City subway car and then fired a handgun more than 30 times, striking ten innocent passengers,” Garland said in a statement.

The plea likely will send James to prison for decades, as prosecutors have signaled that they plan to push for a lengthy prison sentence.

In a court filing, U.S. Attorneys noted sentencing guidelines call for a prison term of at least 31 years.

"In addition, as the government has informed defense counsel, based on the facts and circumstances known to the government at this time, including that the defendant planned his attack for years and fired more than thirty rounds on a crowded subway car endangering the lives of dozens of people, the government intends to seek an above-Guidelines sentence at the time of the defendant’s sentencing," the filing states.

The plea hearing puts James' at-times topsy-turvy criminal case near an end.

James had previously proclaimed he'd fight the charges stemming from the April 2022 attack. He even refused to appear in court, prompting a judge to issue an order for Tuesday's hearing that authorities could take him to the courtroom by force.

The defiant attitude reflected James' online persona as a self-styled "Prophet of Truth," in which he spewed bigoted views against white, Black and LGBTQ people, among others, in hours of rant-filled, hateful YouTube videos.

Authorities said James turned his words into violent action on April 12, when he donned a mask and ignited smoke grenades on a crowded R train in a Sunset Park station and began shooting.

Bullets hit 10 straphangers, but miraculously no one died. A tense manhunt ensued that ended when James surrendered to police.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.