A federal judge in Tampa, Florida, has just dropped the hammer on Jordan Goudreau, a former Green Beret tangled in a wild scheme to topple Venezuela’s government, as the Associated Press reports.

This saga, steeped in accusations of weapons smuggling and a failed 2020 coup attempt, centers on Goudreau’s no-show at a critical bond hearing, prompting an arrest warrant.

Let’s rewind to 2020, when Goudreau, a 49-year-old Canadian-born veteran, allegedly masterminded what critics call an amateurish invasion of Venezuela, mockingly dubbed the “Bay of Piglets.” His plan? Train Venezuelan army deserters in Colombia for a daring raid to oust President Nicolas Maduro.

From concert security to coup plotter

Goudreau’s journey into this mess began after working security at a humanitarian aid concert in Colombia, where he forged connections with exiled allies of opposition leader Juan Guaidó, once recognized by the U.S. as Venezuela’s rightful leader. He even signed a contract with Guaidó’s team for the invasion, though they parted ways before the ill-fated operation, which may have been compromised by Maduro’s intelligence network.

The plot unraveled spectacularly when The Associated Press exposed it just days before the incursion, leading to deaths and the imprisonment of two of Goudreau’s U.S. Special Forces colleagues in Venezuela. For conservatives skeptical of reckless foreign meddling, this fiasco raises eyebrows about ill-conceived regime-change efforts during the first Trump administration.

Fast forward to last year, when Goudreau was arrested on charges of weapons smuggling tied to the failed coup, accused of shipping 60 AR-15 rifles without export licenses to secret training camps. Evidence like rifles with his DNA and gear linked to his Melbourne, Florida-based firm, Silvercorp, paints a damning picture as he awaits trial in February.

Bond drama, threatening behavior

After a brief stint in jail, Goudreau was released when filmmaker Jen Gatien put up her $2 million Manhattan apartment as bond collateral. But that goodwill has soured, with Gatien now testifying about his alleged abusive and threatening behavior toward her and others.

“I believe he intends one day to leave this country,” Gatien warned in court, pointing to Goudreau’s past life on a sailboat in Mexico. If true, that’s a glaring red flag for anyone who values accountability -- skipping town isn’t exactly the mark of a stand-up patriot.

Gatien also claimed Goudreau broke promises to offset her financial risk with cash, gold coins, and cryptocurrency, a shady side deal prosecutors frowned upon. Her documentary, Men of War, released recently, dives into Goudreau’s mercenary ambitions, but at what personal cost to her?

Missing in action at hearing

Things hit a boiling point on the third day of his bond hearing when Goudreau simply didn’t show up, leaving even his attorney stumped. Judge Christopher Tuite, after waiting 30 minutes, issued the arrest warrant without hesitation.

A probation officer noted Goudreau’s ankle monitor still pinged in the Tampa area, where he’s been living and receiving equine-assisted therapy through the Department of Veterans Affairs. That’s a small comfort, but it doesn’t explain why he dodged court -- hardly the behavior of someone claiming to fight for justice.

Adding to the chaos, an Oklahoma couple, Brande and Jason Woolems, revealed in a sworn statement that Goudreau pressured them to falsely accuse Gatien of misconduct to keep her from ditching the bond deal. “When we declined, he called us ‘Judas’ and accused us of betrayal, yelling repeatedly in anger,” they stated. If this isn’t a wake-up call about Goudreau’s character, what is?

Firearms, further suspicion

The Woolems also disclosed they’ve been storing Goudreau’s belongings, including two assault rifles, which an associate recently tried to retrieve -- potentially breaching a court order banning him from possessing firearms. For law-and-order conservatives, this kind of disregard for rules is a bitter pill to swallow.

Goudreau has lately resurfaced as a media figure, popular with some Trump supporters and even far-left critics, claiming in interviews that deep-state forces like the CIA sabotaged his mission while asserting it had tacit approval from the first Trump administration. While skepticism of government overreach resonates with many on the right, his narrative feels more like a convenient deflection than a credible defense.

Naval strikes on Venezuelan drug boats and CIA covert actions in recent weeks have only fueled criticism of U.S. policy toward Venezuela, with Goudreau’s failed plot seen by some as emblematic of sloppy interventionism. For those of us who prioritize America First, this story is a cautionary tale about the perils of unchecked adventurism abroad, even if the intent to counter socialist regimes like Maduro’s holds appeal. Let’s hope the courts bring clarity -- and consequences -- to this tangled mess.