Ohio man charged over threat to kill JD Vance, US Justice Department says

By Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON, Feb 6 (Reuters) – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging a 33-year-old man with threatening to kill U.S. Vice President JD Vance during his visit to the Ohio region in January, the Justice Department said on Friday.

Shannon Mathre, of Toledo, Ohio, is accused of making a threat to take the life of, and to inflict bodily harm upon, Vance, the Justice Department said in a statement.

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,” according to the indictment cited by the Justice Department.

Mathre was arrested by U.S. Secret Service agents on Friday. A representative of Mathre could not immediately be reached.

Experts have raised alarm about political violence and threats of violence in a polarized U.S. in recent years. Earlier this week, a January 6, 2021, rioter, who was pardoned by President Donald Trump, pleaded guilty to a harassment charge after being accused of threatening to kill U.S. House of Representatives Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

While investigating the alleged threats, federal agents also discovered multiple files of child sexual abuse materials in Mathre’s possession, the Justice Department said.

Mathre made his initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of Ohio on Friday and remains in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for February 11, the Justice Department said.

If found guilty as charged, Mathre faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum statutory fine of $250,000 for threatening the life of the vice president, the Justice Department said. Mathre faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a maximum statutory fine of $250,000 if found guilty of the child sexual abuse materials charge, it added.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)