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Virginia man indicted for making thousands of online threats to kill Obama, Harris

Crystal Graham
AR15 firearm
(© Sergey Kamshylin – stock.adobe.com)

A Winchester man was indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury in Charlottesville for allegedly making thousands of posts online threatening to kill, kidnap or injure Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Barack Obama.

Frank Lucio Carillo, 66, is charged with 14 counts including five counts of making threats against Harris, five counts of interstate communications with a threat to kidnap or injure Harris, two counts of making threats against Obama and two counts of interstate communications with a threat to kidnap or injure Obama.

According to court documents, Carillo used the social media platform GETTR to post thousands of messages using the name “joemadarats1.”

On July 27, the FBI office in Phoenix received information concerning a threat made against an employee of the Maricopa County, Ariz., recorder’s office that was made on GETTR by a user with the name “joemadarats1.”

FBI searched the “joemadarats1” user account and discovered approximately 4,359 posts, comments and replies made by the user targeting various public officials including Harris and Obama.

In a February 2024 post, “joemadarats1” said he had his “AR-15 locked and loaded.”

Among the posts, he said he “would light Harris on fire” and “personally pluck out her eyes.”

According to investigators, he said of Harris: “I will cut your eyes out of your F***ING head” and “will make sure you suffer a slow agonizing death.”

In another post, he allegedly said he would “personally” set Harris on fire “if no one else does.”

Carillo allegedly said Harris is “going to regret ever trying to become president because if that ever happened I will personally pluck out her eyes with a pair of pliers but first I will shoot and kill everyone that gets in my way that is a f***ing promise.”

A July 27 post allegedly said “Crapler Harris is laying thieving piece of garbage like the rest of this administration they all need to die and they will soon.”

Authorities used GETTR subscriber information and other investigative methods to determine that the “joemadarats1” username was used by Carillo at his residence in Winchester.

On Aug. 2, authorities at the FBI Richmond executed a search warrant at Carillo’s home and seized a 9 mm pistol, an AR-15 rifle and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

Carillo was arrested and made his initial court appearance Aug. 5 in U.S. District Court in Roanoke.

The FBI in both Richmond and Phoenix and the U.S. Secret Service are investigating the case.

Related story

Winchester man threatened Kamala Harris: ‘I will cut your eyes out of your F***ING head’
Published date: August 5, 2024 | 2:48 pm

Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

Crystal Abbe Graham is the regional editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, she has worked for 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of Virginia Tonight, a nightly TV news show on PBS. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television.