A northeastern Pennsylvania man charged in threatening to shoot President Barack Obama was denied bail on Wednesday, the Star Tribune reported.
Nicolas Savino, 42, sent an email to the White House last month calling Obama the Antichrist and threatening to shoot him, just a week before the president's appearance in nearby Scranton. He was arrested the following week.
"President Obama is the Anti-Christ. As a result of breaking the constitution you will stand down or be shot dead. This will be sent to militias throughout the country and the media," the Aug. 16 email read.
After his arrest, investigators discovered an AR-15 assault rifle, 11,000 rounds of ammunition, long range scope, and training manuals on long range shooting in Savino's home. Paul Ackoury, his defense attorney, claimed on Wednesday that his client had a stock pile of weapons due to his fear of a gun ban and fought for his release.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Fran Sempa fought against bail.
"This is a defendant who, days before the president's visit to the city, issued an explicit threat to shoot the president. It's one thing to say he is a firearms enthusiast. That's all fine and dandy until you look at it in the context of the threat," Sempa said.
U.S. District Magistrate Judge Thomas Blewitt did not grant Ackoury's request and called the 11,000 rounds found in Savino's home "an outrageous amount of ammunition."
Ackoury said at the trial that he did not think his client posed a threat to anyone. The man's father, who declined to give his name, claims his son would never hurt anyone.
"My son has never been in trouble before," his father said. "His bark is worse than his bite. There was no intent."
Savino's father also claims his son sent the threatening email because he was denied a pilot's license by the Federal Aviation Administration. It is unknown why his son was denied a license.
