FAA Employee Charged with Threatening to Kill President Trump

An employee of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been charged with sending an email containing a death threat to President Donald Trump to the White House. The employee allegedly identified himself in the email and sent messages intending to 'neutralize' or 'kill' the president.

According to prosecutors, the employee prepared for the crime by searching for assassination-related content online using a government work computer for several months prior to the offense. U.S. Secret Service agents took the employee into custody and began investigating in early February. He admitted to conducting relevant research using a government computer and to owning three firearms at his home.

Late last month, the employee sent a message via his personal email account to a White House email address, accusing President Trump of committing 'terrorism.' A federal court filed a criminal complaint last Friday for transmitting a threat to the president over the internet, and he faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted. The U.S. Secret Service is leading the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Shannon is prosecuting the case.