Kansas Man, 24, Charged Over Threats to Kill Trump Before Visit
(MENAFN) Federal prosecutors have charged a 24-year-old Kansas man with threatening the life of President Donald Trump in social media posts made just days before the president’s scheduled trip to Wichita, the Justice Department announced Monday.
Jaden J. Read faces a criminal complaint filed Saturday by the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas, the department said in a statement.
Investigators opened their case Oct. 15 after a Crime Stoppers tip pointed them to Facebook comments left under a local television station’s article about Trump’s Oct. 19 appearance in Wichita.
Court allegations state that Read urged that the president be shot and claimed he had obtained ammunition and planned to kill him.
“Let’s shoot Trump honestly, where’s our shooter? I’m tired of living this money life,” he wrote on Facebook, according to the Justice Department.
In another post, he wrote: “I just got a 308 and 305 round and I’m killing this pedo,” according to the allegations.
Authorities arrested Read in Clearwater on Saturday and moved him into federal custody. The department said he is expected to stay jailed until a detention hearing.
US Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser denounced threats of political violence while drawing a line between criminal threats and constitutionally protected political speech.
“Political violence and threats of political violence will not be tolerated,” Kriegshauser said in the statement.
“The First Amendment allows for robust disagreement but there are constraints,” he added, urging the public to keep their speech within constitutional limits.
Jaden J. Read faces a criminal complaint filed Saturday by the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas, the department said in a statement.
Investigators opened their case Oct. 15 after a Crime Stoppers tip pointed them to Facebook comments left under a local television station’s article about Trump’s Oct. 19 appearance in Wichita.
Court allegations state that Read urged that the president be shot and claimed he had obtained ammunition and planned to kill him.
“Let’s shoot Trump honestly, where’s our shooter? I’m tired of living this money life,” he wrote on Facebook, according to the Justice Department.
In another post, he wrote: “I just got a 308 and 305 round and I’m killing this pedo,” according to the allegations.
Authorities arrested Read in Clearwater on Saturday and moved him into federal custody. The department said he is expected to stay jailed until a detention hearing.
US Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser denounced threats of political violence while drawing a line between criminal threats and constitutionally protected political speech.
“Political violence and threats of political violence will not be tolerated,” Kriegshauser said in the statement.
“The First Amendment allows for robust disagreement but there are constraints,” he added, urging the public to keep their speech within constitutional limits.
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