Fort Worth Man Sentenced for Gun Crimes Linked to Heroin Overdose Death

Brennan Trainor Rodriguez, a 33-year-old former Texas Christian University student, has been sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for illegal possession of firearms, including a machinegun, while on probation for causing the overdose death of Ty Pickens, grandson of oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens. Rodriguez admitted to injecting heroin into Pickens in 2013, leading to his death, and was placed on a 10-year deferred adjudication that prohibited firearm possession. In August 2024, police responded to accusations of stalking by Rodriguez's ex-girlfriend, who reported that he often fired guns, prompting an investigation that uncovered nine firearms at his home. Following his arrest, Rodriguez was indicted in October 2024 and pleaded guilty to the charges in December. The case highlights Rodriguez's ongoing legal troubles, as he also faces pending state charges related to substance delivery and stalking. U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor emphasized the seriousness of Rodriguez's violations when announcing the sentence.