A 66-year-old man was arrested on federal charges after making violent threats against Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and other public officials.
Law enforcement arrested Frank Lucio Carillo in Winchester, Virginia, after he reportedly made “numerous threats of violence” against the vice president, President Joe Biden and FBI Director Christopher Wray on social media.
The FBI’s Phoenix Office was reportedly first notified of threats being made against Harris on social media platform GETTR in July.
“Open political discourse is a cornerstone of our American experience. We can disagree. We can argue and we can debate. However, when those disagreements cross the line to threats of violence, law enforcement must step in,” U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia said in a press release.
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Carillo, posting under the username “joemadarats1,” reportedly made 19 references to Harris on his page, according to the Western District of Virginia’s attorney’s office.
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In one post shared by the attorney’s office, Cariilo wrote: “AR-15 LOCKED AND LOADED.”
During a raid on Carillo’s home, law enforcement seized a 9mm pistol, an AR-15 rifle and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
“The FBI’s mission is to protect the American people. We take all threats of violence seriously, and we will investigate them to the fullest and hold those responsible accountable,” Special Agent in Charge Stanley M. Meador of the FBI’s Richmond Division said.
Carillo made his first appearance in court on Monday.
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