An Ohio man has been charged with threatening to kill Vice President JD Vance and possessing child pornography, according to the Department of Justice.
A federal grand jury indicted Toledo resident Shannon Mathre, 33, for allegedly making the death threats during the former Ohio senator’s visit to the northwest region of the state last month.
The suspect was apprehended on Friday by U.S. Secret Service agents after he 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,” the feds said.
During the course of arresting Mathre, agents also discovered multiple digital files of child sexual abuse material in his possession. Further investigation found that between Dec. 31 and Jan 21, Mathre had been engaged in both the receipt and distribution of such images.
Mathre made his first court appearance on Friday and remains in custody pending a Wednesday detention hearing.
If convicted on the child pornography charges, he faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He could also serve up to five years and pay another $250,000 fine for threatening to kill Vance.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche thanked local officials for working with federal officers to “bring justice twofold to this depraved individual.”
Vance has not publicly commented on Mathre’s arrest and indictment.
The vice president has been in Italy the past few days for the Winter Olympic Games in Milan. On Friday, he and Second Lady Usha Vance were loudly booed when they appeared on the San Siro Stadium Jumbotron during the Opening Ceremony. Trump administration policies have been met with criticism both at home and abroad.
While in Milan, Vance has also had a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, cheered on the U.S. men’s and women’s hockey teams and attended a figure skating competition. His large motorcade was spotted delaying traffic around the stadium on Friday.
