Depraved Ohio Man Busted After Threatening to Assassinate VP JD Vance and for Possessing Several Files of Child Sexual Abuse Material
Shannon Mathre. Credit: Lucas County Corrections Center
A federal grand jury has indicted a Toledo man accused of threatening to assassinate Vice President JD Vance during the vice president’s visit to Northwest Ohio last month, according to a Department of Justice press release.
The suspect, identified as 33-year-old Shannon Mathre, allegedly 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.”
While investigating the alleged threat, federal agents reported discovering multiple digital files in Mathre’s possession that authorities identified as child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
The indictment alleges that between Dec. 31, 2025, and Jan. 21, 2026, Mathre was involved in the receipt and distribution of images depicting minors in sexually explicit conduct, in violation of Title 18 U.S. Code Section 2252(a)(2).
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. Thank you to federal, state and local…
— Todd Blanche (@DAGToddBlanche) February 7, 2026
“Our attorneys are vigorously prosecuting this threat against Vice President Vance,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in the DOJ statement. “You can hide behind a screen, but you cannot hide from this Department of Justice.”
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche added, “While arresting this man for allegedly threatening to murder the Vice President of the United States, federal law enforcement discovered that he was also in possession of child sexual abuse materials. Thank you to federal, state, and local partners for working together to bring justice in this case.”
The arrest comes about a month after a separate incident in which a person armed with a hammer was charged with vandalizing Vance’s home in Cincinnati.
Mathre appeared before a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of Ohio on Feb. 6 and remains in custody. A detention hearing is scheduled for Feb. 11.
If convicted, Mathre faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for threatening the life of the vice president. The charge related to child sexual abuse material carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
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