Kansas man charged with threatening Trump ahead of Wichita visit

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - A Kansas man has been charged with threatening US President Donald Trump after allegedly posting a series of threats on social media ahead of the president’s planned visit to Wichita, the Justice Department said Monday.

Jaden J. Read, 24, was charged by a criminal complaint filed Saturday by the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas, the department said in a statement.

Authorities said the investigation began on Oct. 15 after a Crime Stoppers tip directed investigators to Facebook comments posted in response to a KAKE News article about Trump’s scheduled Oct. 19 visit to Wichita.

According to the criminal allegations, Read posted comments calling for the president to be shot and claiming he had acquired ammunition and intended to kill Trump.

“Let’s shoot Trump honestly, where’s our shooter? I’m tired of living this money life,” he wrote on Facebook, according to the Justice Department.

“I just got a 308 and 305 round and I’m killing this pedo," he also posted.

Authorities arrested Read in Clearwater on Saturday and transferred him to federal custody. According to the department, he was expected to remain in custody pending a detention hearing.

US Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser condemned threats of political violence while emphasizing the distinction between criminal threats and constitutionally protected political expression.

“Political violence and threats of political violence will not be tolerated,” Kriegshauser said in the statement.

“The First Amendment allows for robust disagreement but there are constraints,” he added, cautioning people to remain within the bounds of constitutionally protected speech.

Diyar Güldoğan