Man Who Threatened to Cut Out Eyes of U.S VP, Kamala Harris Arrested and Charged

Federal prosecutors has announced the arrest of Frank Lucio Carillo, a 66-year-old man from Winchester, Virginia, who has been charged with making death threats against U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris.

The arrest followed an investigation by the FBI, which uncovered nearly 20 threats against Harris on the social media platform GETTR.

Carillo's threats were particularly graphic and violent, including promises to "pluck out her eyes with pliers" and "burn her alive." In one post dated July 27, Carillo wrote, "Kamala Harris needs to be put on fire alive I will do it personally if no one else does it I want her to suffer a slow agonizing death."

Carillo's threats extended beyond Vice President Harris, targeting other public officials such as President Joe Biden, FBI Director Christopher A. Wray, and Stephen Richer, the Maricopa County Recorder known for rejecting claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen.

According to federal court documents, Carillo made over 4,300 posts containing threats against various public figures.

The FBI began its investigation after being alerted by its Phoenix office about threats made to the Maricopa County Recorder’s office. The agency traced the threats back to Carillo through his GETTR account, "joemadarats1," which he created in June 2023.

During a search of Carillo's home, agents recovered a pistol, an AR-15 rifle, and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Carillo had previously posted about owning an AR-15, stating, "I HAVE MY AR-15 LOCKED AND LOADED."

Upon his arrest, Carillo appeared in U.S. District Court in Roanoke, Virginia, where he faced a felony charge that carries a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison.

U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh emphasized the importance of political discourse while condemning threats of violence, stating, "Open political discourse is a cornerstone of our American experience. We can disagree. We can argue, and we can debate. However, when those disagreements cross the line to threats of violence, law enforcement must step in."