“‘I’ll put a bullet in your head’: Obama-appointed judge turns down Trump DOJ request for years-long sentence in ‘old f—’ Biden threat case”

A New York man who threatened to kill President Joe Biden last year is headed to prison and must undergo mental health treatment, though his sentence is lighter than what the Department of Justice had sought.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brenda Sannes, an Obama appointee, sentenced Troy Kelly to six months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release with participation in a mental health program. The Trump administration’s DOJ had recommended a two-year prison term after Kelly pleaded guilty to making threats against the president. Kelly’s lawyer had requested no jail time.

In a sentencing memorandum, attorney Timothy Austin described Kelly as a young man shaped by trauma and social media influence.

“At 19 years old, Troy had experienced more than his share of traumatic experiences and dysfunctional family dynamics,” Austin wrote. “At the time of the offense, he was an exceptionally immature young man unable to manage his frustration and anger over his own circumstances. His understanding of the broader world, including our government and national politics, came from the same place many people get it: the internet.”

According to court documents, Kelly posted a threat against President Biden on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, on May 17, 2024. The post, made under the username “@CountryBoyTroy0,” came in response to Biden celebrating the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia.

“Gonna put a bullet in your head if I ever catch you. Get the f— out of office,” Kelly wrote, using a derogatory term.

Authorities traced the post to an IP address in Schroon Lake, New York, roughly 250 miles north of Manhattan. Kelly admitted to federal agents that he had made the threats and confirmed he would still want to harm President Biden if he could. Investigators later seized two black powder rifles from Kelly’s home.

Additional posts from Kelly on May 31, 2024, included further threats against the president, according to prosecutors.

Kelly has been on pretrial release with electronic monitoring since July 1, 2024, after initially spending about a week in custody. His lawyer said he had benefited from mental health treatment and recognized the seriousness of his actions.

“He appreciates the seriousness of this crime and realizes the very real consequences of his actions,” Austin wrote. “He understands he must pay a steep price in the form of a felony conviction and the consequences thereof.”

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