JUST IN: Ohio man arrested for threatening to kill Vice President JD Vance—was in possession of child sexual abuse material

An Ohio man has been arrested by Secret Service for allegedly threatening to shoot and kill Vice President JD Vance. The suspect also had child sexual abuse material in his possession when he was taken into custody.   

Shannon Mathre, 33, of Toledo, has been charged with threatening to kill the Vice President of the United States. 

According to the indictment, he allegedly stated, “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 was taken into custody by Secret Service agents on February 6. 

“Our attorneys are vigorously prosecuting this disgusting threat against Vice President Vance,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said. “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.”

According to a press release from the DOJ, "If found guilty as charged, Mathre faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum statutory fine of $250,000 for threating the life of the vice president. Mathre faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a maximum statutory fine of $250,000 if found guilty of the CSAM charge."

Mathre made an initial appearance in front of a magistrate judge on February 6 and is in custody pending a detention hearing on February 11.