A New Hampshire man has been accused of sending text messages threatening to kill a presidential candidate ahead of a scheduled campaign event Monday, federal prosecutors said. The U.S. Attorney’s office did not name the candidate. However, a spokesperson for Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy said Monday that the texts were directed at his campaign.
Quick Read
- Threats Against Presidential Candidate: Tyler Anderson, 30, from Dover, New Hampshire, has been charged with sending threats using interstate commerce. He is accused of threatening to kill a presidential candidate ahead of a campaign event.
- Candidate Targeted: While the U.S. Attorney’s office did not specify the candidate, a spokesperson for Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy confirmed the threats were directed at his campaign.
- Law Enforcement Response: Ramaswamy’s campaign expressed gratitude towards law enforcement for their prompt action in handling the situation.
- Court Proceedings: Anderson appeared in court and understood the proceedings but did not speak. His court-appointed attorney declined to comment. A detention hearing is set for Thursday.
- Details of the Threat: According to an FBI affidavit, Anderson responded to a text message from the candidate’s campaign with threats to shoot the candidate and kill everyone at the event.
- Investigation Findings: The threatening texts were traced to Anderson’s cellphone. During an FBI search at his home, the texts were found in a deleted folder.
- Previous Threats: Anderson admitted to sending similar threats to multiple campaigns, including a threat of a mass shooting in response to an invitation from another campaign.
- Potential Sentence: The charge against Anderson carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
The Associated Press has the story:
Ramaswamy was target of death threats in New Hampshire that led to FBI arrest
Newslooks- CONCORD, N.H. (AP)
A New Hampshire man has been accused of sending text messages threatening to kill a presidential candidate ahead of a scheduled campaign event Monday, federal prosecutors said.
The U.S. Attorney’s office did not name the candidate. However, a spokesperson for Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy said Monday that the texts were directed at his campaign.
“We are grateful to law enforcement for their swiftness and professionalism in handling this matter and pray for the safety of all Americans,” Stefan Mychajliw, deputy communications director, said in a statement.
Tyler Anderson, 30, of Dover, was arrested Saturday and charged with sending a threat using interstate commerce. He did not speak at his initial court appearance Monday other than telling the judge he understood the proceedings, and his court-appointed attorney declined to comment afterward. A detention hearing was scheduled for Thursday.
Ramaswamy went on to hold his event at the Roundabout Diner & Lounge in Portsmouth.
According to court documents, the man received a text message from the candidate’s campaign on Friday notifying him of Monday’s breakfast event in Portsmouth.
The campaign staff received two text messages in response, according to an FBI agent affidavit. One threatened to shoot the candidate in the head, the other threatened to kill everyone at the event and desecrate their corpses.
The cellphone number was traced to the man, the FBI said. Agents executed a search warrant at the man’s home on Saturday. The texts were found in a deleted folder, the affidavit said.
The man told the FBI in an interview that he had sent similar texts to “multiple other campaigns,” the affidavit said. The document includes a screenshot of texts threatening a mass shooting in response to an invitation to see a candidate “who isn’t afraid to tell it like it is.” Republican Chris Christie calls his events “Tell it Like It Is Town Halls.” His campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The charge provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
