An Arizona man has been sentenced to federal prison after posting repeated death threats against former President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on social media. Federal authorities say the threats included graphic statements about assassination and attacks on the White House. Investigators tracked the posts to the man using online accounts connected to his real identity.
Arizona Man Sentenced for Threatening U.S. Leaders Online
Michael David Hanson, 44, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for making threats against the president and other federal officials.
U.S. District Judge Steven P. Logan handed down the sentence in federal court. Hanson had previously pleaded guilty to one count of making threats against the president and successors to the presidency.
As part of the plea agreement, federal prosecutors dropped:
- One additional count of threatening the president
- Five counts of making interstate threats
After completing his prison sentence, Hanson will also serve three years of supervised release.
Authorities Warn Threats Against Leaders Are Serious Crimes
Federal officials emphasized that online threats against government leaders are treated as criminal acts.
U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine said threats of violence toward elected officials are not protected by free speech laws.
He also praised the efforts of investigators who quickly identified and arrested Hanson.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the Phoenix Police Department.
Authorities said the case serves as a reminder that threats made online can lead to serious legal consequences.
Social Media Posts Included Violent Threats
According to federal investigators, Hanson posted several threatening messages on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on November 19, 2023.
One of his posts demanded that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris resign or face death.
Later that same day, Hanson posted additional messages calling for violence, including statements encouraging people to bomb the White House.
Investigators said one post included a video clip from the movie Independence Day that showed the White House appearing to explode.
Several hours later, Hanson used a different account and again posted that Biden and Harris should be dead if they did not resign.
Authorities say he continued making similar threats using multiple accounts.
Investigators Linked Accounts to Hanson
Federal investigators were able to trace the threatening accounts directly to Hanson.
According to court documents, Hanson used his real name to register the social media profiles.
He also posted photos and videos of himself that matched the image on his driver’s license.
Between November 20 and November 22, 2023, Hanson communicated with federal agents through online messages, phone calls, and in-person meetings.
During those interviews, he told investigators he believed his threats were protected by the First Amendment.
Agents informed him that threatening violence against government officials is illegal.
Hanson reportedly said he understood and promised not to repeat the behavior.
Additional Threats Continued After Warning
Despite the warning from investigators, Hanson allegedly continued posting threats in December 2023.
Authorities say he created three new social media accounts using different usernames.
In these posts, he again made threats against Biden and Harris.
Investigators also say Hanson made statements referencing a possible mass shooting at the University of New Mexico.
One of the posts suggested that he planned to carry out a school massacre and assassinate national leaders.
These posts prompted further investigation by federal authorities.
Defendant Said He Wanted Attention
During a later interview with investigators, Hanson admitted that he had posted the additional threats.
However, he reportedly minimized the seriousness of the statements.
According to the criminal complaint, Hanson told agents that no one followed his social media accounts and that he made the threats mainly to gain attention.
Investigators said Hanson also discussed personal frustrations during the interview.
He reportedly became upset while explaining that he had been admitted to a master’s degree program at the University of New Mexico but later lost his admission and financial aid after a complaint was filed against him.
The complaint involved an incident with another student, though the details were not publicly disclosed.
Authorities said Hanson blamed the situation for his emotional state and his online posts.
Secret Service Issues Warning About Threats
William Mack, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Phoenix Field Office, said the agency takes threats against government officials very seriously.
He stated that the Secret Service has zero tolerance for threats against individuals under federal protection.
Mack warned that anyone who threatens the president or other national leaders will be investigated, arrested, and prosecuted.
