Los Angeles man charged with threatening to kill Trump

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(The Center Square) – A Los Angeles resident has been arrested for a three-count federal indictment that includes a charge of threatening to kill President Donald Trump.

Federal prosecutors also accuse 40-year-old Benjamin Azariah Southworth, of the city's Westlake neighborhood, of cyberstalking the president's personal lawyer and family.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Southworth used YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and a website to post threats and encourage harassment. The DOJ said that included posting the personal address of Trump's lawyer with the caption "No peace for traitors," explicitly calling to "Kill Donald Trump," and sending abusive messages and calls to the lawyer's wife and son.

Investigators say these situations occurred from January to May.

U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said that as threats against the president’s life continue to escalate, the DOJ will respond with the full force of the law.

“We will hold perpetrators of violent threats accountable, and anyone who makes these threats online will not be allowed to hide behind their screens,” said Blanche in a press release.

Southworth was arrested on Wednesday morning and arraigned that afternoon in the U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles. He pleaded "not guilty" to all of the charges.

If convicted on all charges (threats against the President, cyberstalking and telephonic harassment), Southworth faces up to 12 years in federal prison.

“There is zero tolerance for political violence, especially for threats directed at the President,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli in the press release. “Threatening an elected official with violence is a serious offense, and you will be arrested and charged, as Mr. Southworth found out.”

The Center Square reached out Friday to Essayli's office, but it declined to comment further.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secret Service and the FBI are investigating the case.

“We are grateful for the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California for their partnership and thorough work in this case,” said Armando Marquez, special agent in charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Los Angeles Field Office.