Crown Point Resident Charged with Threatening President Biden

ALBANY, NEW YORK - Troy Kelly, age 19, of Crown Point, New York, was arrested yesterday and charged via criminal complaint with making threats against the President of the United States.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Jeffrey Burr, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of United States Secret Service and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations and Steven James, Superintendent of the New York State Police made the announcement.

Kelly was charged with one count of making threats against the President of the United States. The charge filed against Kelly carries a maximum sentence of 5 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release following any term of incarceration of up to three years. A defendant's sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

Kelly appeared yesterday in Albany, New York, before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel, and was detained pending a full detention hearing scheduled for Friday, June 28.

The criminal complaint alleges that on May 17, 2024, using an account on the social media platform "X," Kelly responded to a post of President Joseph R. Biden Jr. with a post which included the sentence: "Gonna put a bullet in your head if I ever catch you." A Secret Service investigation revealed Kelly was the likely user of the account that posted the threat and proceeded to interview him at his home. During the interview, Kelly confirmed he posted the threat and told the Secret Service agent on scene that he had done so because it was "true." As alleged in the complaint, when asked if he still wanted to kill President Biden, Kelly told them "If I could, I would."

The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The United States Secret Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the New York State Police are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph S. Hartunian is prosecuting the case.