U.S. federal prosecutors have charged a 33-year-old man from Ohio in connection with an alleged threat against Vice President JD Vance during the Vice President’s visit to the state earlier this year, the Department of Justice has confirmed.
According to court documents released on Friday, February 6, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Shannon Mathre of Toledo, accusing him of making threats to kill and cause bodily harm to the Vice President. The alleged threat is said to have been made in January, around the time Vice President Vance was in Ohio for official engagements.
The Justice Department stated that Mathre is accused of explicitly expressing an intention to locate the Vice President and carry out an attack. While authorities have not publicly disclosed where the alleged statement was made or to whom it was directed, investigators determined that the comments were credible enough to warrant federal charges.
Following the indictment, U.S. Secret Service agents arrested Mathre on Friday. The Secret Service, which is responsible for protecting the Vice President and other senior government officials, worked in coordination with federal law enforcement agencies during the investigation.
In a significant development, officials revealed that during the course of the inquiry into the alleged threat, investigators discovered multiple digital files containing child sexual abuse material in Mathre’s possession. Authorities have not yet clarified whether additional charges related to those materials will be pursued in a separate case.
Mathre made his first appearance in federal court before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Northern District of Ohio on Friday. He did not enter a plea at that time and remains in custody. A detention hearing has been scheduled for February 11, at which point the court will determine whether he will continue to be held without bail as the case proceeds.
The indictment marks the latest in a series of security-related incidents involving Vice President Vance. In early January, law enforcement responded to a separate case in which a 26-year-old man was arrested after allegedly attempting to break into the Vice President’s Ohio residence. Authorities said the suspect repeatedly struck the windows of the home with a hammer while the Vice President and his family were not present.
Federal officials have emphasized that threats against protected public officials are taken extremely seriously, regardless of whether an individual has the immediate capacity to carry them out. Under U.S. law, making threats against the President or Vice President is a federal offense that can carry significant prison sentences if a conviction is secured.
The Justice Department has not released further details about Mathre’s background or possible motive. Prosecutors say more information is expected to emerge as the case moves through the court system.
Vice President Vance has not publicly commented on the indictment. Meanwhile, security agencies continue to review protective measures around senior officials, particularly during domestic travel and public appearances.
If convicted, Mathre could face substantial penalties under federal law. The case underscores ongoing concerns about the safety of public officials amid rising threats and heightened political tensions in the United States.
Source: Africa Publicity
