A Virginia man has been charged with making death threats against Vice President Kamala Harris.
New York Times reported that a Virginia resident named Frank Lucio Carillo was charged with repeatedly threatening Vice President Kamala Harris on social media and was subsequently arrested and brought to court.
Frank Lucio Carillo of Winchester, Virginia, allegedly posted numerous threats against Vice President Harris, including promises of horrific violence, according to authorities. Carillo has been charged with making these threats on the social media platform GETTR.
The threats originated shortly after Kamala Harris became the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, escalating tensions and concerns among public officials. Carillo was apprehended on Friday and made his first court appearance on Monday in U.S. District Court in Roanoke, Virginia.
The charges against Carillo include a felony count of threatening the vice president of the United States, a charge which carries a potential maximum sentence of five years in prison. In addition to Vice President Harris, Carillo also targeted other notable public figures.
Investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) discovered nearly 20 threats directed at Harris from an account linked to Carillo on GETTR. The posts varied in violence and included plans to harm Harris and her family.
One specific post from Carillo on July 27 reads: “Kamala Harris needs to be put on fire alive I will do it personally if no one else does it I want her to suffer a slow agonizing death.” This post is among the many pieces of evidence presented by the FBI.
The threats did not stop with Kamala Harris; Carillo's aggressive behavior also extended toward other high-profile officials. These included threats aimed at President Biden, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer.
The FBI affidavit cited a total of 4,359 posts and replies made by the account “joemadarats1,” which investigators tied back to Mr. Carillo. This account had been active in disseminating threats and inflammatory comments over the past year.
Mr. Carillo’s dangerous rhetoric has spotlighted the increasing instances of threats toward public officials. U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia Christopher R. Kavanaugh commented, “Open political discourse is a cornerstone of our American experience. However, when those disagreements cross the line to threats of violence, law enforcement must step in.”
The immediate response and subsequent arrest of Carillo highlight the severity with which authorities are treating these threats. Law enforcement agencies have reiterated the importance of distinguishing between robust political debate and threats of violence.
Despite the grave nature of the threats, as of now, Vice President Harris's office has yet to provide an official response to the events. The lack of comment leaves many questions about the impact these threats may have on her and her family's sense of security.
To summarize, Frank Lucio Carillo has been charged with issuing repeated death threats against Vice President Kamala Harris and other officials, facing possible severe legal repercussions. The FBI uncovered nearly 20 threats linked to Carillo's social media account, leading to his arrest and court appearance. This case underscores the critical issue of political threats in modern times.
