Florida Man Charged With Making Obama Threats On Facebook
Joaquin Amador Serrapio Jr. (pictured) is charged with making threats to President Barack Obama through Facebook, reports The Miami Herald.
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The 20-year-old man made the threats under the Facebook name "Jay Valor" and posted his comments during President Obama's visit to the University of Miami last Thursday.
Serrapio's first posting was entered on February 21, the day before the president was scheduled to visit the university, and it read:
"Who wants to help me assassinate Obummer while hes at UM this week?"
The Miami resident then posted his next comment on the day of the president's arrival to the campus:
"If anyones [sic] going to UM to see obama today, get ur phones out and record. Cause at any moment im gonna put a bullet through his head and u don't wanna miss that! Youtube!"
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After Serrapio reportedly made the second threat, Secret Service agents visited his home. The young man and his mother allowed them to search the residence and they uncovered an iPad with the Facebook threats. The agents also found a sniper-style pellet rifle and pellet handgun in the young man's bedroom.
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When the agents searched through Serrapio's cell phone, they also uncovered a text message from someone who tried to warn him about making threats against the president. Serrapio allegedly responded:
"I know I can b killed by this communist administration and im challenging them," he texted back, according to the affidavit. "Let's see what those (expletives) got."
After Serrapio was arrested, he also admitted to the illegal Facebook postings, which have since been removed from the site along with his account. He was released on a $70,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned on March 9. The courts have also ordered him to undergo a mental health assessment.
Any time a threat is made against the president of the United States, the Secret Service investigates. President Obama has been the target of several assassination threats and alleged plots since he became a candidate back in 2007. Never in the history of this country has a presidential candidate ever received protection from the Secret Service before becoming nominated — as was the case with Obama. Since becoming President, Obama is said to receive at least 30 death threats per day, increasing the death threat rate by 400 percent since former President George W. Bush was in office. Making a threat against the president carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
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