(NationalUSNews.com) — On Thursday May 16, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania released a public announcement of the indictment of 37-year-old Jordan Gee. Federal prosecutors claim that Gee uploaded several videos threatening President Joe Biden just ahead of his campaign visit to Scranton last month. Gee is being charged with three felony counts of threats against the president and one count of interstate threats. He is being represented by the federal public defender’s office.
President Biden was born in Scranton and lived there until his family moved to Delaware. While Gee is not actually from Scranton, but rather the nearby city of Nanticoke, in one video he threatened to decapitate the president if he came to his “city in Scranton, Pennsylvania.” In other videos, he threatens not only the president, but other local officials, such as the mayor of Kingston, Pennsylvania. He also includes Biden’s entire cabinet in his death threats.
Gee was already in prison on unrelated charges when the threats against Biden came to light. Federal prosecutors filed for, and received, a version of a writ of habeas corpus in order to keep him incarcerated, which will help make sure he shows up for his court appearances. Normally, a writ of habeas corpus is intended to ensure that a prisoner is not being unlawfully detained. The threatening videos were posted earlier in the day, when he was originally picked up by law enforcement for theft and resisting arrest.
Threats against elected officials have been on the rise over the years. In 2023 alone, the US Capitol Police investigated approximately 8,000 threats against members of Congress. Those threats represented an increase of about 500 cases compared to 2022. As the 2024 general election looms ahead, US security officials are prioritizing threats against elected officials. Gee’s arraignment is set for May 29, and if convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.
Copyright 2024, NationalUSNews.com
