Trump Assassination Threats: Illinois Man Charged After Facebook Posts

EDWARDSVILLE, IL — A Southern Illinois man was indicted Wednesday on a charge of threatening the president after former coworkers notified the Secret Service about alarming posts he'd allegedly made on Facebook. Joseph Lynn Pickett was initially charged June 15 in U.S. District Court in East St. Louis, according to a criminal complaint that includes screenshots of posts saying, among other things, "honestly am I really going to have to kill trump before (our) fine Government (the jack booted thugs they are) actually takes me into custody."

U.S. Secret Service Special Agent Vincent Pescitelli said Pickett's posts called President Trump "a Benedict Arnold" who "sold our country to The Russians," adding that the president "needs a blade in his neck." Another post warned, "The secret service now has a heads up to my plan to assassinate Trump ... let's see if they act!"

Pescitelli said Pickett, an Edwardsville resident, worked at a Lowe's store in Granite City until six to eight months ago, when he was fired for threatening a coworker. Lowe's associates said Pickett had bragged about having weapons, according to Pescitelli.

Other June 15 Facebook posts appeared to taunt the Secret Service, saying, "I don't see any black SUV's pulling up my driveway and definitely no black helicopter... Also I'm still typing so I'm not a victim of a drone strike...yet ... Dam secret service is either slow or stupid."

The complaint alleges that Pickett threatened to “take the life of, to kidnap, and to inflict bodily harm” on Trump. A screenshot of a message allegedly sent by Pickett urges someone to "Please call the cops on me now so I have an,excuse to use my firepower."

Pickett will remain in custody until his trial after a judge ruled he should be detained because the court can't ensure he is not a danger to the community and due to “mental instability.”

A Facebook page apparently belonging to Pickett and listing his location as Edwardsville remained online, but the June 15 posts were not visible.

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