Last Updated on February 18, 2021 3:38 pm
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal criminal complaint was unsealed in federal court on Thursday, charging David Kyle Reeves, 27, of, Gastonia, N.C., with threatening the President of the United States, announced Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Reeves was arrested on Friday, February 5, 2021, and had a court hearing this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler.
Reginald A. DeMatteis, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Charlotte Field Office, joins U.S. Attorney Murray for making Thursday's announcement.
According allegations in the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, between January 28 and February 1, 2021, Reeves contacted multiple times the White House switchboard via telephone and made threats against President Biden and others. The criminal complaint alleges that, on February 1, 2021, a Secret Service agent contacted Reeves to discuss the threats. Reeves allegedly called back the Secret Service agent multiple times throughout the day, and repeated the threats against the President, the Secret Service agent, and others. According to filed court documents, on the same day, Reeves also contacted the U.S. Capitol Police switchboard and communicated similar threats.
Following Thursday’s hearing, Judge Keesler ordered Reeves to remain in custody.
The charge of making a threat against the President of the United States carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
All charges in the complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The Secret Service is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Bozin, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
