Ohio Man Indicted for Threatening to Kill Vice President JD Vance
Federal grand jury charges Shannon Mathre with threatening to kill Vice President JD Vance and possessing child sexual abuse materials, records show.
Overview
A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment on Feb. 6 charging Shannon Mathre, 33, of Toledo with threatening to kill Vice President JD Vance using an M14 automatic rifle and with receiving and distributing child sexual abuse materials, records show.
The indictment alleges Mathre said around Jan. 21, 2026, “I am going to find out where he (the vice president) is going to be and use my M14 automatic gun and kill him,” in connection with Vance’s Jan. 22 Ohio visit, according to court documents.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer vowed vigorous prosecution, and Attorney General Pam Bondi said prosecutors are pursuing the case aggressively, officials confirmed.
Mathre faces a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the threat charge and a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the child sexual abuse materials count, and U.S. Magistrate Judge Darrell Clay ordered him detained pending a Feb. 11 detention hearing, records show.
The U.S. Secret Service leads the investigation with assistance from the Toledo Police Department and Ohio State Highway Patrol, and officials said they will continue forensic review of seized digital evidence and future court proceedings will determine the case's trajectory.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources report this largely neutrally: they stick to charges, timelines and official statements (DOJ, Secret Service, U.S. Attorney) while including the defendant’s lawyer’s rebuttal about health. Loaded phrases—“disgusting threat,” “zero tolerance”—appear as quoted source content, not as reporter opinion, preserving balanced coverage.
Sources (11)
FAQ
Mathre allegedly said around Jan. 21, 2026, 'I am going to find out where he (the vice president) is going to be and use my M14 automatic gun and kill him,' in connection with Vance’s Jan. 22 Ohio visit.
Mathre faces a two-count indictment: threatening to kill Vice President JD Vance (maximum 5 years prison, $250,000 fine) and receiving/distributing child sexual abuse materials (maximum 20 years prison, $250,000 fine).
The federal grand jury returned the indictment on Feb. 6, 2026. A detention hearing is scheduled for Feb. 11 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Darrell Clay.
The U.S. Secret Service leads the investigation, with assistance from the Toledo Police Department and Ohio State Highway Patrol.
History
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