Man Accused of Threatening to Kill VP Harris After FBI Tip-off by Maricopa County Recorder

Federal investigators have apprehended a Virginia man, Frank Lucio Carillo, on charges of threatening to kill Vice President Kamala Harris and other public officials, including President Joe Biden.

The FBI took Carillo into custody on Friday. He made his initial court appearance on Monday in Roanoke, Virginia, for a felony charge that carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison.

According to an affidavit, the threats were first identified through the office of Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer, a Republican overseeing elections in Arizona. Richer has faced harassment since the 2020 presidential election.

The threats were posted on the conservative social media site GETTR, founded by former Trump aide Stephen Miller. Carillo, using the account “joemadarats1,” allegedly posted over 4,300 threats aimed at various officials.

On one day alone, July 27, Carillo allegedly directed multiple violent threats at Harris. In one post, he wrote, “I will cut your eyes out of your F****ING head while you’re alive b****.”

In another alarming post, he warned, “Harris is going to regret ever trying to become president because if that ever happened I will personally pluck out her eyes with a pair of pliers but first I will shoot and kill everyone that gets in my way that is a f****** promise.”

The FBI identified Carillo by tracing the email of his GETTR account, leading them to his residence in Winchester, Virginia. There, agents recovered an RF-15 rifle and a 9mm handgun.

Carillo’s threatening posts extended beyond elected officials. Investigators noted his troubling rhetoric about wanting to shoot people. Between November 2023 and July 2024, he allegedly made multiple posts expressing violent intentions.

In one post, Carillo wrote, “Don’t wait for your gov. Go out with your guns and kill all Muslims.”

In another, he allegedly wrote, “I believe when [the] illegals show up to vote they should be shot in the head quickly they are not allowed to vote so then they must die cuz if I see any of them I’ll kill them.”

Carillo’s arrest is the latest in an expanding investigation into threats against political figures. In recent months, various threats have been made against both Trump and his perceived adversaries.

In August 2023, a Texas woman was charged with threatening U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan. That same month, a Chicago-area woman was accused of emailing threats to shoot Trump and his youngest son. Trump himself narrowly escaped harm during a Pennsylvania rally last month. The FBI continues to investigate, though a motive for the attack hasn’t been disclosed.

The FBI emphasized ongoing efforts to uncover and address threats against public officials, stressing the importance of maintaining public safety.