Mansfield Man Charged with Threatening President Obama

BOSTON – A Mansfield man was charged in U.S. District Court in Boston with posting on-line threats to the President of the United States.

Andrew J. O’Keefe, 28, was charged on June 15, 2015, in a criminal complaint that was unsealed today with posting an online threat to the President of the United States.  He is scheduled to appear before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Donald L. Cabell at 11:15 a.m. this morning.

According to court documents, on May 13, 2015, an individual, later determined to be O’Keefe, posted a threat on an FBI website stating that he planned on killing President Barack Obama.  On May 15, 2015, law enforcement officers attempted to interview O’Keefe regarding the posting; however, O’Keefe refused to speak with officers outside his residence.  A search warrant executed on O’Keefe’s residence and vehicle recovered over 100 weapons including swords, double-edged knives, hatchets, spears, an air gun, and two laptop computers.

The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Lisa A. Quinn, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service; and Mansfield Police Chief Ronald A. Sellon, made the announcement today.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Ortiz’s Major Crime Unit.