Fact Check: Individuals charged with threatening a president can face up to five years in prison if convicted, according to federal prosecutors.

Fact Check: Individuals charged with threatening a president can face up to five years in prison if convicted, according to federal prosecutors.

Published June 17, 2025
VERDICT
True

# Fact Check: "Individuals charged with threatening a president can face up to five years in prison if convicted, according to federal prosecutors." ...

Fact Check: "Individuals charged with threatening a president can face up to five years in prison if convicted, according to federal prosecutors."

What We Know

The claim that individuals charged with threatening a president can face up to five years in prison is supported by federal law and recent cases. According to 18 U.S. Code § 871, any person who makes threats against the President of the United States can face serious penalties, including a maximum prison sentence of five years if convicted (source-3).

Recent cases illustrate this point. For instance, David Kyle Reeves was charged with making threats against President Biden and faced a maximum penalty of five years in prison (source-1). Similarly, Thomas Eugene Streavel was charged with threatening then-President-elect Donald Trump and faced similar penalties for each count of his indictment (source-2).

Analysis

The legal framework surrounding threats against the President is clear and well-established. The statute under 18 U.S. Code § 871 explicitly states the penalties for making threats against the President, which includes a maximum of five years in prison. This law has been consistently applied in various cases, reinforcing its validity (source-3).

In evaluating the sources, both the Department of Justice announcements regarding specific cases and the legal code provide reliable information. The DOJ is a credible source, as it is the federal agency responsible for enforcing laws, including those concerning threats against federal officials. The announcements regarding Reeves and Streavel are official releases that detail the charges and potential penalties, further corroborating the claim (source-1, source-2).

Additionally, the penalties are not just theoretical; they have been applied in real cases, as evidenced by the charges against individuals like Reeves and Streavel. This practical application of the law supports the assertion that individuals can indeed face up to five years in prison for such threats.

Conclusion

Verdict: True
The claim that individuals charged with threatening a president can face up to five years in prison if convicted is accurate. This is supported by federal law and has been demonstrated through recent legal cases involving threats against both current and former presidents. The sources cited provide reliable and consistent information regarding the penalties associated with such threats.

Sources

  1. Individual Charged With Threatening The President of The United States ...
  2. Yucca Valley Man Charged with Threatening to Kill President ...
  3. 18 U.S. Code § 871 - Threats against President and ...
  4. Georgia Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Threats Against the President
  5. Phoenix Man Arrested for Making Online Death Threats ...
  6. California Man Sentenced To 3 Years In Prison For Making ...
  7. Threatening the president of the United States - Wikipedia
  8. Officials Investigate More Threats of Violence Against American ...

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00:00
We have some news right now.
Ice detained a toddler, a
mother, and a grandmother. All
United States American citizens
just because they overheard
them speaking Spanish.
According to Telamundo, Puerto
Rico, these three American
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after Ice agents overheard them
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explain to Ice that they were
born in Puerto Rico that
they're American citizens. And
00:32
it wasn't until after they
provided documentation of proof
that Ice agents apologize and
that they were eventually
released. According to the
Daily Beast Daryl Marine the
national president of the
Hispanic Advocacy Group Forward
Latino has confirmed that these
three individuals were detained
by Ice. More and more American
citizens are being caught up in
these mass deportation rates
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Fact Check: Transcript 00:00 We have some news right now. Ice detained a toddler, a mother, and a grandmother. All United States American citizens just because they overheard them speaking Spanish. According to Telamundo, Puerto Rico, these three American citizens were taken into custody in Milwaukee, Wisconsin after Ice agents overheard them speaking Spanish. This included a toddler. A member of their family says that they were taken into custody while shopping at a local department store. And they didn't have a chance to speak with Ice agents until they were at the detention facility. And when they arrived they tried to explain to Ice that they were born in Puerto Rico that they're American citizens. And 00:32 it wasn't until after they provided documentation of proof that Ice agents apologize and that they were eventually released. According to the Daily Beast Daryl Marine the national president of the Hispanic Advocacy Group Forward Latino has confirmed that these three individuals were detained by Ice. More and more American citizens are being caught up in these mass deportation rates

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Total Deportations
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Annual Deportation Records
YEAR
NUMBER OF DEPORTATIONS
2013
438,421
2014
414.481
2009-2016
Over 3 million total
Summary Removals
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Fact Check: Individuals charged with threatening a president can face up to five years in prison if convicted, according to federal prosecutors. | TruthOrFake Blog