Virginia man, Frank Carillo, threatened to kill Kamala Harris: FBI
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 25: U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to reporters after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Vice President's ceremonial office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on July 25, 2024 in Was
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - A Virginia man has been arrested on federal charges for making numerous online threats against top U.S. officials, including Vice President Kamala Harris.
Frank Lucio Carillo, 66, appeared in U.S. District Court in Roanoke, Virginia, Monday morning following his arrest at his Winchester home last week. Carillo faces a federal criminal complaint accusing him of threatening Vice President Harris.
"Open political discourse is a cornerstone of our American experience. We can disagree, argue, and debate, but when those disagreements cross the line into threats of violence, law enforcement must step in," said Christopher R. Kavanaugh, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia.
Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, emphasized the gravity of the threats. "The FBI’s mission is to protect the American people. We take all threats of violence seriously and will investigate them fully to hold those responsible accountable," Meador said.
The investigation began on July 27, when the Maricopa County, Arizona, Recorder’s Office alerted the FBI’s Phoenix Office to threats posted on the social media platform GETTR.
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The user, known as "joemadarats1," had made around 4,359 posts and replies targeting various public officials, including President Joe Biden, Vice President Harris, and FBI Director Christopher Wray.
Vice President Harris was specifically mentioned 19 times, with several posts including threats of violence.
In one February 2024 post, "joemadarats1" stated he had his "AR-15 LOCKED AND LOADED."
Using GETTR subscriber information and other investigative tools, authorities identified Carillo as the person behind the "joemadarats1" account and traced his location to Winchester.
On Aug. 2, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Carillo’s home, seizing a 9 mm pistol, an AR-15 rifle, and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
The investigation is being handled by the FBI’s Richmond and Phoenix divisions, along with the United States Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Welsh is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is an accusation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.