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Ohio Man Arrested for Threatening Vice President Vance, Child Abuse Materials Found
Federal authorities have arrested a 33-year-old Toledo man for allegedly threatening to assassinate Vice President JD Vance during his January visit to Northwest Ohio, with investigators discovering child sexual abuse materials during the course of their investigation.
Shannon Mathre was taken into custody on February 6 by U.S. Secret Service agents after allegedly stating, “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 Department of Justice officials. While specific details about where or when the threat was made were not disclosed, Attorney General Pam Bondi suggested it may have been made online, stating, “You can hide behind a screen, but you cannot hide from this Department of Justice.”
A federal grand jury has returned an indictment against Mathre on charges related to threatening the Vice President. In a disturbing development, investigators also discovered “multiple digital files of child sexual abuse materials” during their probe, leading to additional charges of receipt and distribution of child sexual abuse materials between December 31, 2025, and January 21, 2026.
“Our attorneys are vigorously prosecuting this disgusting threat against Vice President Vance,” Bondi said in a statement. “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 praised the collaboration between federal, state, and local partners in bringing “justice twofold to this depraved individual.”
The case represents the latest in a troubling series of threats against Vice President Vance, who has faced multiple security incidents in recent months. In early January, his Ohio home was vandalized, leading to the arrest of 26-year-old William DeFoor on charges of vandalism, obstruction of official business, criminal damaging or endangering, and criminal trespass. Vance and his family were not home at the time of the incident, having already returned to Washington, D.C.
In a separate July incident, 22-year-old Marco Antonio Aguayo of Anaheim, California, was arrested after allegedly posting threatening comments on Disney’s official Instagram account referencing pipe bombs and violence against “corrupt politicians” on the same day Vance and his family were visiting Disneyland.
The U.S. Secret Service has also investigated a threatening post against Vance on the social media platform Bluesky, reportedly made by a volunteer radio show host at WUML, a station funded by the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. The host subsequently resigned, and the university alerted authorities upon discovering the post.
U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, David Toepfer, emphasized that “violent threats” such as the one allegedly made by Mathre against the Vice President would “not be tolerated” and promised swift prosecution for those who make them.
Mathre remains in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for February 11. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 for threatening Vice President Vance, plus up to 20 years in prison and an additional $250,000 fine for the child sexual abuse materials charges.
The case highlights both the ongoing security concerns surrounding high-ranking government officials and the Justice Department’s commitment to pursuing these threats to their fullest extent under federal law.
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6 Comments
Threats against elected officials are deeply troubling, especially when combined with other serious offenses like child exploitation. The authorities need to take this case extremely seriously and ensure the perpetrator faces the maximum legal consequences.
Absolutely. Crimes against children are among the most heinous, and must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
This is a very concerning case. Threatening public officials and possessing child pornography are both abhorrent crimes that deserve harsh punishment. I hope the investigation uncovers the full extent of this individual’s activities and brings him to justice swiftly.
Threats against public officials are always unacceptable, but the additional charges of child pornography possession make this case even more reprehensible. I hope the authorities are able to fully uncover the extent of this individual’s criminal activities and ensure he is punished accordingly.
I’m glad the authorities were able to apprehend this individual and uncover the additional charges. Individuals who engage in such reprehensible acts deserve to face the full force of the justice system. Protecting our children and public officials is of utmost importance.
This is a deeply disturbing case that demonstrates the urgent need for vigilance in identifying and prosecuting those who would commit such heinous acts. I hope the authorities are able to thoroughly investigate this individual and ensure he faces the maximum penalties allowed under the law.