Federal prosecutors charged a Southern California antheral with allegedly threatening to termination President Trump connected Facebook aft past year's election.
The antheral — identified arsenic 73-year-old Thomas Eugene Streavel of San Bernardino County — was indicted past week connected 3 counts of making threats against a president-elect, the Justice Department said successful a quality merchandise Tuesday.
An indictment unsealed Tuesday lists retired a bid of aggravated Facebook messages that Streavel allegedly penned astir Mr. Trump some earlier and aft the predetermination — immoderate of which expressed a tendency for him to beryllium assassinated.
The charges absorption connected 3 messages allegedly written successful November, the Justice Department said.
Streavel was arrested Monday, and pleaded not blameworthy astatine his arraignment Tuesday. He was ordered released connected $10,000 bond, the Justice Department said successful its statement.
The Secret Service is investigating the issue. Attorneys for Streavel were not listed successful a national tribunal database.
"This suspect is charged with threatening the beingness of our President – a antheral who has already survived 2 deranged attempts connected his life," Attorney General Pam Bondi said successful a statement.
Mr. Trump faced 2 attempted assassinations during past year's election. A shooter struck Mr. Trump successful the ear astatine a Butler, Pennsylvania, rally successful July, and a antheral was charged with trying to assassinate the then-presidential campaigner astatine his Florida play nine successful September.
If convicted, the maximum sentence for making threats against the president oregon president-elect is 5 years — though sentencing decisions are made by judges, and it is not antithetic for national transgression defendants to person little than the maximum.
In caller years, the Justice Department has regularly brought charges for threats against Mr. Trump, erstwhile President Joe Biden and different high-profile officials. Threats against officials — from members of Congress to judges and prosecutors — are besides connected the rise, authorities say.
On Monday, a Romanian antheral pleaded guilty to leading a ring that targeted dozens of members of Congress and a erstwhile president with weaponry threats and "swatting" calls — successful which a idiosyncratic makes a mendacious constabulary study with the extremity of drafting a monolithic constabulary response.
Joe Walsh is simply a elder exertion for integer authorities astatine CBS News. Joe antecedently covered breaking quality for Forbes and section quality successful Boston.
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