E. Martin Estrada, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California
A San Bernardino County resident, Thomas Eugene Streavel, has been charged with threatening to assassinate then-President-elect Donald Trump following the 2024 election. Streavel, aged 73 and from Yucca Valley, faces three counts of making threats against the President-elect.
Streavel was arrested on Monday and appeared in United States District Court in Riverside where he pleaded not guilty to all charges. A trial is set for July 28, and he was released on a $10,000 bond by a federal magistrate judge.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi commented on the case: “This defendant is charged with threatening the life of our President – a man who has already survived two deranged attempts on his life. The Department of Justice takes these threats with the utmost seriousness and will prosecute this crime to the fullest extent of the law.”
United States Attorney Bill Essayli stated: “The type of rhetoric and threats made by this defendant are similar to those that led to an attempt on the President’s life last year. There is no place for political violence or threats of violence in the United States. We will not hesitate to arrest and charge others who engage in similar criminal conduct.”
According to an indictment unsealed today, Streavel allegedly used Facebook before and after the 2024 U.S. presidential election to post messages expressing his intent to harm Trump. On November 6, 2024, Streavel reportedly posted about assassinating Trump. Further posts followed throughout November expressing similar threats.
The indictment lists several instances where Streavel allegedly threatened Trump's life while he was President-elect. These include posts from November 12, November 19, and November 28 of that year.
It is important to note that an indictment is merely an allegation, and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
If convicted, Streavel could face up to five years in federal prison for each count. The United States Secret Service is conducting an investigation into this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Matt Coe-Odess from the Domestic Security and Immigration Crimes Section is handling prosecution duties for this case.
