Henderson Man Indicted for Threatening to Kill President Trump, 15 Guns Seized
A Nevada grand jury indicted Jason Randall Utlaut on a felony charge of threatening the president, after YouTube posts called for killing Trump. He faces up to five years in prison.
Nevada Man Charged With Threatening Trump After YouTube Posts, Arsenal Found at Home
A grand jury has indicted Jason Randall Utlaut, a Henderson, Nevada, resident, on a felony count of threatening to kill President Donald Trump, Courthouse News Service reports. A conviction carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Utlaut is scheduled to appear before a U.S. magistrate judge on Nov. 18 for his arraignment, the Justice Department said.
The FBI's National Threat Operations Section first received information about the case on Oct. 16, when it was alerted to five posts on a YouTube channel. Those posts contained threats against Trump's life, calls for a mass shooting, and other expressions of violent intent, according to Justice Department officials. An investigation led agents to Utlaut.
That same day, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers executed a search warrant at Utlaut's home and vehicle. They recovered 15 firearms, along with multiple magazines and ammunition. Records show Utlaut was booked into jail on Oct. 17. The grand jury returned the indictment Wednesday, and he remained jailed as of Thursday.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada said in a statement: "Threatening the life of the president is not free speech — it is an act of cowardice and a direct assault on the stability of our nation. Our office and our federal law enforcement partners do not tolerate, do not negotiate with and do not overlook those who weaponize fear against our public institutions."
Christopher S. Delzotto, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Las Vegas office, said Utlaut allegedly threatened Trump's life, promoted a mass shooting, and expressed willingness to carry out what Delzotto called "horrific acts of violence." He added that such threats "undermine public safety and will be treated with the utmost seriousness."
Henderson Police Chief Reggie Rader emphasized the role of interagency cooperation in preventing violence. "Through strong regional partnerships and collaboration with our federal counterparts, we can share information, identify potential threats and work together to keep our communities safe," Rader said.
Source: Courthouse News Service