A Virginia man is accused of threatening to kill Kamala Harris using the social media platform GETTR.
Frank Lucio Carillo, 66, of Winchester, appeared in court in the US District Court in Roanoke after being arrested last week.
Carillo was charged in a federal criminal complaint with one count of making threats against the vice president.
"Open political discourse is a cornerstone of our American experience. We can disagree. We can argue, and we can debate. However, when those disagreements cross the line to threats of violence, law enforcement must step in," said United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia.
On July 27, the Maricopa County, Arizona, Recorder's Office alerted the FBI's Phoenix Office of the potential threats being made online against the vice president using the handle "joemadarats1."
When FBI agents investigated these claims, they discovered approximately 4,359 posts made by the user account "joemadarats1" that targeted several public officials, including Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and FBI Director Christopher Wray.
There were 19 mentions of Harris and multiple posts containing violent threats.
In a February 2024 post, "joemadarats1" said he had his "AR-15 LOCKED AND LOADED."
Officials were able to use GETTR subscriber information and other investigative methods to identify the "joemadarats1" username and match it to Carillo and his physical location in Winchester.
On August 2, 2024, authorities at the FBI Richmond executed a search warrant at Carillo's home and seized a 9 mm pistol, an AR-15 rifle, and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
"The FBI's mission is to protect the American people. We take all threats of violence seriously, and we will investigate them to the fullest and hold those responsible accountable," said Special Agent in Charge Stanley M. Meador of the FBI's Richmond Division.
GETTR bills itself as a social media platform built on the "foundation of freedom of opinion and expression."
It was founded in 2021 by former Donald Trump spokesperson Jason Miller and it aims to be a community for conservatives.
