CHARLOTTE — Johnathan Trent Thomas, 27, of Linwood, N.C., pleaded guilty in federal court to making threats to murder federal officers, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Thomas threatened to kill Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department officers if immigration enforcement actions did not cease.
He also threatened to come to Charlotte with armor-piercing ammunition and body armor to carry out his threats.
“Thomas pleaded guilty to one count of threatening to murder federal law enforcement officers,” stated U.S. Attorney Ferguson.
Court documents reveal that Thomas made a series of threatening phone calls to the CMPD, in which he warned of violent actions if he observed law enforcement making arrests.
He referenced previous arrests made by ICE agents in Charlotte as the catalyst for his threats.
During the investigation, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Thomas’s residence, where they seized three rifles, a handgun, and various types of ammunition. Thomas had also claimed to have explosives around his house.
Thomas has a history of threatening law enforcement, including incidents involving the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office and CMPD, where he reportedly followed officers in marked patrol cars.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and local police departments.
Thomas faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for his threats against federal officers. He remains in federal custody, with a sentencing date yet to be determined.
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