Ohio Man Charged With Threatening Vice President, Child Sexual Abuse Materials Also Discovered
TOLEDO, Ohio — A federal grand jury has indicted a Toledo man accused of threatening to kill the Vice President of the United States during a January visit to northwest Ohio, with investigators also discovering child sexual abuse materials while probing the alleged threat.
According to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice, Shannon Mathre, 33, of Toledo, was charged this week with making a threat to take the life of and inflict bodily harm upon a successor to the presidency, a violation of Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 871(a).
The indictment alleges Mathre stated, “I am going to find out where he (the vice president) is going to be and use my M14 automatic gun and kill him.” Mathre was arrested by U.S. Secret Service agents on Feb. 6.
Federal prosecutors further allege that between Dec. 31, 2025, and Jan. 21, 2026, Mathre knowingly received and distributed images depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, in violation of Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 2252(a)(2). Authorities said multiple digital files of child sexual abuse materials were discovered during the investigation into the alleged threat.
“Our attorneys are vigorously prosecuting this disgusting threat against Vice President J.D. Vance,” said Pamela Bondi, Attorney General of the United States. “You can hide behind a screen, but you cannot hide from this Department of Justice.”
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the case underscores the seriousness of the investigation. “While arresting this man for allegedly threatening to murder the Vice President of the United States, a serious crime in and of itself, federal law enforcement discovered that he was also in possession of child sexual abuse materials,” Blanche said. “Thank you to federal, state and local partners in working together to bring justice twofold to this depraved individual.”
David M. Toepfer, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, said threats against public officials will be met with swift action. “Hostile and violent threats made against the Vice President, or any other public official, will not be tolerated in our District,” Toepfer said. “Anyone threatening this kind of action will face swift justice and prosecution.”
Mathre made his initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of Ohio on Feb. 6 and remains in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for Feb. 11.
If convicted, Mathre faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for threatening the life of the vice president. The child sexual abuse materials charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and an additional $250,000 fine.
The investigation was led by the United States Secret Service, with assistance from the Toledo Police Department and the Ohio State Highway Patrol. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Al-Sorghali and Frank H. Spryszak.
An indictment is merely an allegation. Defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, and the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Sentencing, if a conviction occurs, will be determined by the court after considering factors unique to the case.
