New York Connect Team
| USA Today NetworkA New York man has been charged in federal court after prosecutors say he made online threats to kill President Donald Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr.Rochester man arrested on federal chargeJames Gerald Eckert Jr., 39, of Rochester, New York, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with threatening to kill, kidnap or inflict bodily harm on a member of the immediate family of the president, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York.The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.Eckert made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen and was ordered held pending a detention hearing scheduled for July 20.Prosecutors say threats were made during podcast livestreamAccording to the criminal complaint, the U.S. Secret Service was alerted June 18 after multiple threats were posted in the live chat of Donald Trump Jr.'s podcast, "Triggered with Donald Trump Jr."Prosecutors allege the threats were posted from an account using the username JamesGeraldEckertJr/@JamesGeraldEckertJr and included statements threatening to kill Trump Jr.Authorities said Eckert was also livestreaming himself on the video platform Rumble while allegedly repeating similar threats against Trump Jr. and Rumble's CEO during an approximately eight-minute broadcast.Earlier threats also citedFederal prosecutors allege Eckert made other threatening social media posts earlier in June.According to the complaint, a June 7 Facebook post threatened Rochester Mayor Malik Evans and his family. Prosecutors also allege Eckert posted a threat on June 11 directed at New York state Sen. Samra Brouk on her official Facebook page.Investigation continuesThe case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis A. Testani following an investigation by the U.S. Secret Service and the Rochester Police Department.A criminal complaint is an allegation. Eckert is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
