Connecticut Man Indicted for Threatening to Kill Trump

Gary Joseph Gravelle of New Haven, Connecticut has been indicted for a variety of crimes in connection to his threats to "kill, injure, and intimidate people and explode property in Connecticut and elsewhere," the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut said on Friday.

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Also known by his alias, Roland Prejean, the 51-year-old Connecticut man has been charged with 12 counts of maliciously conveying false information about an explosive, three counts related to the sending of hoax Anthrax letters and one count of making threats against President Donald Trump. 

These crimes reportedly took place in early September 2018 and lasted for several days before he was apprehended by Connecticut police. Gravelle had threatened to hurt multiple people and explode property in communications made by phone, U.S. mail and email. His victims resided across Connecticut, Vermont and Washington.

During that month, Gravelle also made alarming calls to several groups in New Haven, including the Fellowship Place and the Continuum of Care and the Connecticut Mental Health Center, where he threatened to set off bombs. He also made similar threats to sites in other parts of the United States.

In regards to his threats to Trump, Gravelle allegedly put a white powder substance into an envelope addressed to the President. The letter included in the envelope claimed that the white powder was anthrax. “I, Gary Gravelle, ... as a faithful soldier of the AKA, am coming to KILL Donald Trump ....” the letter sent to Trump read.

The Associated Press reported on September 5, 2018, that no injuries were reported in relation to the packages sent. Rather than anthrax, Gravelle had placed baby powder in the envelopes.

U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut John H. Durham, who announced the indictment on Thursday, stressed that it “is not evidence of guilt.” “Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt,” the Justice Department press release read.

Gravelle was arrested by the federal authorities on September 8, 2018. He is now facing over 100 years in prison if he is given the maximum sentence for all of his crimes.