Ohio man charged with Vance death threat amid rising US political violence

By Kit Maher, CNN

(CNN) — A federal grand jury indicted a 33-year-old Ohio man on Friday with threatening to kill Vice President JD Vance with an automatic weapon, the Justice Department said in a news release, as the US grapples with rising political violence and threats.

Shannon Mathre of Toledo is accused of saying, “I am going to find out where he (the vice president) is going to be and use my M14 automatic gun and kill him” on or around January 21, according to the indictment.

The indictment further alleges Mathre distributed child sexual abuse materials.

“While arresting this man for allegedly threatening to murder the Vice President of the United States, a serious crime in and of itself, federal law enforcement discovered that he was also in possession of child sexual abuse materials,” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche posted to X on Saturday.

Attorney General Pam Bondi also said in a statement, “Our attorneys are vigorously prosecuting this disgusting threat against Vice President Vance.”

Neil S. McElroy, an attorney representing Mathre, called the count threatening Vance’s life “a farce.”

“While the charge against Mr. Mathre may buttress the administration’s narrative regarding threats of violence aimed at members of the administration, this particular charge — as it relates to Mr. Mathre and his conduct — is a farce,” he said in a statement to CNN.

Mathre said he cannot comment on the second count of the indictment regarding child sexual abuse materials, “as the government has not provided any” documents associated with the charge.

The vice president’s office referred CNN to the US Secret Service for comment.

The Secret Service said in a statement to CNN that “the investigation included not only what the defendant said online and to people, but also his actions and behavior,” adding that it has “been following this for several months with our partners at the FBI and in Ohio.”

“As a society, we must remain united in our zero tolerance for political violence. This individual will now answer for his actions to a federal court,” Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said.

Mathre faces a maximum five-year penalty and a fine of $250,000 for threatening to kill Vance. Additionally, he faces a maximum 20-year prison sentence for the child sexual abuse materials charge and a $250,000 fine, if he is found guilty.

Mathre remains in custody and has a detention hearing Wednesday, the Justice Department said.

The charges come as other Trump administration officials have faced threats in recent months and as managing the fear of violence has become a central feature of politics.

Just last month, authorities detained a man “for causing property damage, including breaking windows” at Vance’s home in Cincinnati.

Earlier this week, authorities arrested a man for attempted murder after allegedly targeting Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought at his home, and the Justice Department in December charged a man with allegedly sending a threatening text message to presidential envoy and Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell.

Recent acts of political violence have reignited the long-standing question of how to best keep public officials safe. Last June, Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were shot and killed in their home. In September, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated at an event at Utah Valley University.

CNN’s Alayna Treene, Aleena Fayaz and Kaanita Iyer contributed to this report.

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