Diego M. Villavicencio, a 36-year-old resident of Tallahassee, was indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with making threats against the President, a member of Congress, and the Federal Reserve Chairman, according to a Mar. 12 announcement by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Villavicencio faces two counts of interstate communication of threats, one count of impeding or retaliating against a federal official, and one count of threats against the President. He appeared for arraignment before United States Magistrate Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee. The jury trial is set for May 5 before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor.
If convicted, Villavicencio could receive up to five years in prison for each count related to interstate communication of threats and threatening the President, as well as ten years for impeding or retaliating against a federal official.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Capitol Police, Federal Reserve Board Protective Service, and United States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorney Eric W. Welch is prosecuting the case.
Officials emphasized that an indictment is only an allegation by a grand jury and does not constitute evidence of guilt. “All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial,” said the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida serves as one of 94 offices nationwide under direction from the Attorney General.
