Johnathan Trent Thomas, 27, of Linwood, North Carolina, was sentenced on Mar. 10 to 15 months in prison and two years of supervised release for making threats to murder federal officers with the intent to impede or intimidate them while performing their official duties. The announcement was made by Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about threats against law enforcement and the importance of holding individuals accountable for such actions.
According to court documents and proceedings, Thomas called the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) on May 14, 2025, threatening to kill Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and CMPD officers if immigration enforcement did not stop. In a second call with a CMPD officer, Thomas said he would come to Charlotte equipped with armor piercing ammunition, night vision devices, and body armor to kill law enforcement officers. He threatened that he would “shoot them all” if he saw anyone making arrests. These threats referenced previous ICE arrests on Albemarle Road in Charlotte.
Court records show that Thomas also stated that if a police officer pointed a gun at him, he would open fire. He further threatened that he would “Swiss cheese” the officers if they were conducting arrests as before. Additionally, Thomas warned that if law enforcement came to arrest him at his home, which he claimed was surrounded by Tannerite (an explosive), he “could do a whole lot better than” April 29, 2024—the day four law enforcement officers were killed in Charlotte.
Despite these threats, law enforcement arrested Thomas and executed a search warrant at his residence where they seized three rifles, a handgun, and various ammunition. Court records indicate that Thomas has an extensive history of threatening law enforcement agencies including the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office and CMPD; he had previously followed marked patrol cars while officers performed their duties.
Thomas remains in federal custody pending transfer to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a facility. U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended Homeland Security Investigations for leading the investigation and thanked several agencies—including the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of North Carolina; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Davidson County Sheriff’s Office; Waxhaw Police Department; and CMPD—for their assistance.
“Threatening the lives of law enforcement officers is a serious federal crime,” said Ferguson. “We take every threat against law enforcement seriously. Today’s case sends a clear message: those who threaten violence against law enforcement will be held accountable in federal court.”
“Ensuring the safety of our law enforcement officers is paramount,” said Mark Zito, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in North Carolina and South Carolina. “Threats of violence against federal agents and our local partners undermine the rule of law and jeopardize the security of our communities. HSI remains committed to working with our partners to investigate and bring to justice those who seek to intimidate or harm officers in the performance of their duties.”
