A truly sick individual has been arrested after claiming he was going to assassinate Vice-President JD Vance, and that’s not all.
The Department of Justice announced today in a press release that a federal grand jury returned an indictment earlier this week against 33-year-old Shannon Mathre, of Toledo, for making a threat against Vance during the VP’s visit to Northwest Ohio last month.
“I am going to find out where he (the vice president) is going to be and use my M14 automatic gun and kill him,” he allegedly said.
In addition to the threat, federal agents discovered Mathre was also in possession of several images of child pornography.
More from the DOJ press release:
The grand jury further charges that from about Dec. 31, 2025, to Jan. 21, 2026, Mathre was also engaged in the receipt and distribution of images that visually depict minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, in violation of Title 18 U.S. Code Section 2252(a)(2).
While investigating the threats allegedly made against the vice president, federal agents discovered multiple digital files of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) in Mathre’s possession.
“Our attorneys are vigorously prosecuting this disgusting threat against Vice President Vance,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “You can hide behind a screen, but you cannot hide from this Department of Justice.”
“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,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Thank you to federal, state, and local partners in working together to bring justice twofold to this depraved individual.”
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. Thank you to federal, state and local…
— Todd Blanche (@DAGToddBlanche) February 7, 2026
The arrest comes just one month after a hammer-wielding person was charged with vandalizing Vance’s Cincinnati home.
Mathre appeared before a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of Ohio on Feb. 6. He remains in custody at this point.
A detention hearing is scheduled for Feb. 11.
Mathre faces up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for threatening the life of the vice president.
Moreover, he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 if found guilty of the child sexual abuse material charge.
The post NEW: Depraved Ohio Man Busted After Threatening to Assassinate VP JD Vance and for Possessing Several Files of Child Sexual Abuse Material appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.