An Oklahoma man was arrested and charged for allegedly threatening President Joe Biden, unnamed members of Congress, and their families in multiple emails to a local news outlet this spring, according to the Justice Department.
John Jacobs Ahrens, 58, was charged by criminal complaint in federal court Monday after he bombarded Tulsa-based KOTV Channel 6 with messages sent “threatening to murder the President, members of Congress, and their families if he did not receive money,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma announced on Tuesday.
An executive producer for the local station contacted the FBI‘s National Threat Operations Center to report the threatening emails dated between May and June, according to an affidavit.
“Please go to my Facebook page and read what I sent to the men of the United States Congress,” Ahrens wrote in one email, according to the Justice Department. “They have less than 48 hours to hand over my money or their children will start dying all over the country. I’m going to kill their children using the same law as the Government used to force our families on to the Trail of Tears.”
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In another message, according to the DOJ, he said, “America is going to get to see a sitting President get his head blown off right in front of them” and “your families will start dying. After that is over, I’m going to come back here one more time and tell you to hand over my money.”
The 58-year-old was apprehended at his home on Friday in an operation that included the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations. Ahrens allegedly admitted to sending emails after he was questioned by investigators, the Justice Department said.
“Making online threats to murder public officials and their families has consequences,” acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson said in a statement. “The arrest and filing of criminal charges is the first step in holding individuals accountable for their alleged actions.”
The Justice Department said Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn McCormick is prosecuting the case. Court records did not indicate whether Ahrens has an attorney to contact, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday.
“A Complaint is a temporary charge alleging violation of the law,” the Justice Department said. “Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. For the case to proceed to trial, the United States must present the charge to a federal Grand Jury within 30 days. Once a Grand Jury returns an Indictment, a defendant has a right to a jury trial at which time the United States would have the burden of proving the defendant’s guilt.”
Ahrens is not the first to face charges for alleged threats against Biden.
John Thornton of New Mexico was arrested and charged in late May after allegedly threatening to kill the 46th president and others. Thornton, 39, was the subject of several complaints since November 2020, with several people raising concerns that he sent them disturbing messages, the FBI said.
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“I LOVE YOU. I WILL SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE. EVEN I EXECUTE JOE BIDEN FOR TREASON,” the 39-year-old allegedly wrote in a text message.
In other correspondence, Thornton was alleged to have said, “[Five] stars now. [Five] stars after I execute Joe Biden for treason.”
