U.S. President Joe Biden gives a speech at Green River College on April 22, 2022, in Auburn, Washington.
A 20-year-old man from New York is facing multiple years in prison for making threats against Joe Biden last year, asserting on social media that he would “put a bullet” in the head of the then-president. Troy Kelly admitted his guilt on Thursday to a charge of threatening the president of the United States, officials announced.
“The attempted attack on President Trump last July was a dreadful event we all witnessed,” commented Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York, John A. Sarcone III, in a statement. “Threatening to kill the President, whether Republican, Democrat, or of any party, is not covered by the First Amendment; it is a crime. Our office is committed to treating threats against any public official with utmost seriousness, as demonstrated by Troy Kelly’s conviction. I express my gratitude to the Secret Service, HSI, and the New York State Police for their efforts in this investigation.”
According to the criminal charges, on June 17, 2024, authorities identified a social media post on “X,” formerly known as Twitter, threatening then-President Joe Biden’s life. The message was posted under the account “@CountryBoyTroy0,” displaying the name “Troy Kelly.”
The threat appeared on X on May 17, 2024, as a reply to Biden’s post celebrating the “International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia.”
“On the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia, my administration supports LGBTQI+ individuals worldwide in their quest to live without hatred and discrimination,” Biden stated. “It’s fundamentally a human rights issue.”
Kelly responded to the president by threatening to kill him.
“I really hope to see u old f—,” he wrote, per the complaint. “Gonna put a bullet in your head if I ever catch you. Get the f— out of office.”
Through investigation, authorities tracked the username to an IP address located in Schroon Lake, New York, roughly 250 miles from Manhattan. By examining the email linked to the account along with other digital traces, investigators verified Kelly as the creator of the threatening message.
In an interview with federal agents, Kelly admitted that he posted the threat, authorities said. When asked why he posted the statement, Kelly responded, “It’s true.”
“I asked Kelly if he still wants to kill President Biden and Kelly stated, ‘If I could, I would,'” a federal agent wrote in the affidavit. “I asked Kelly why he wants to kill President Biden and Kelly replied by saying that President Biden and his son are a disgrace.”
Following the interview, two black powder rifles with optics were seized from Kelly’s room.
Further review showed that Kelly, on May 31, 2024, had responded to another Biden X post by writing, “We should just off this old f— already,” and “Biden. Your times coming. If not by my hand then someone else’s. You’ll see.”
Kelly is scheduled to appear before U.S. Chief District Judge Brenda K. Sannes on Dec. 22 for his sentencing hearing, where he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
