A 33-year-old Ohio man faces federal charges for threatening to kill US Vice President JD Vance and possessing child sexual abuse materials.
WASHINGTON: A federal grand jury has indicted a 33-year-old Ohio man for threatening to kill US Vice President JD Vance.
The Justice Department announced the charges against Shannon Mathre of Toledo on Friday.
Mathre is accused of threatening to take the life of and inflict bodily harm upon the vice president during his visit to Ohio in January.
According to the indictment, Mathre allegedly stated, “I am going to find out where he (the vice president) is going to be and use my M14 automatic gun and kill him.”
US Secret Service agents arrested Mathre on Friday.
A representative for Mathre could not immediately be reached for comment.
While investigating the alleged threats, federal agents also discovered multiple files of child sexual abuse materials in Mathre’s possession.
Mathre made his initial appearance before a US Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of Ohio on Friday.
He remains in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for February 11.
If found guilty of threatening the vice president, Mathre faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of USD 250,000.
He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a USD 250,000 fine if convicted on the child sexual abuse materials charge.
The case comes amid heightened concern over political violence and threats in a polarised United States.
Earlier this week, a pardoned January 6 rioter pleaded guilty to a harassment charge after being accused of threatening to kill House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
