Man to be evaluated over Obama threats
Source: Agencies |
July 7, 2011, Thursday
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Print Edition
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AN Oregon man has been detained for a mental health evaluation after appearing in federal court on Tuesday to face charges that he threatened to kill President Barack Obama and the president's family.
The Secret Service arrested Darryl James Swanson, of Portland, last Friday. Prosecutors say Swanson made threats in numerous phone calls to federal prosecutors' offices in Oregon and Washington, a county government office in Florida, and The Associated Press.
Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Peifer told a federal judge in Portland that he considered Swanson, 45, a flight risk and a safety risk. Swanson's arraignment was set for next month, when he'll enter a plea.
According to the criminal complaint, Swanson made threatening calls to a series of government offices, including three to the county commissioner's office in Palm Beach County, Florida, 44 voicemail messages left on June 19 with the US attorney's office in Portland, and three calls to the US attorney's office in Seattle on June 30. He was arrested the following day.
He also had called the AP bureau in Seattle on May 2, leaving a message that said he would seek weapons for al-Qaida to shoot the president and his family. "I may have to get in touch with al-Qaida and get a hold of at least one, possibly two good working machine guns and blast my way into the White House," the voicemail said.
The AP told the US attorney's office and the Secret Service about the call.
The day after the call to the AP, Swanson told Secret Service agent Ronald Brown that he made the call because he was frustrated that the president has not sent him a check for US$70 million, which he claims he is owed from a trust fund set up at his birth, court documents show. Brown told him that no trust fund exists.
The Secret Service did not find weapons in Swanson's apartment and warned him not to make threats against the president. But he continued leaving the angry and threatening messages at government offices.
In court on Tuesday, Swanson consented through his public defender to a mental health evaluation.
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