A former Virginia Beach man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison after making repeated threats to kill then-President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in 2022.
Kevin Butler, 47, received the sentence on Friday, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Butler was convicted last year on seven counts of knowingly and willfully making violent threats against federal officials following a two-day bench trial.
Authorities say Butler called a Virginia Probation and Parole office multiple times in early December 2022 and left voicemails threatening to “jump over the fence” outside the White House with a firearm and “kill the President.” Officials noted that Butler had previously been convicted in 2014 for making similar threats against then-President Barack Obama and then-Vice President Biden.
Acting U.S. Attorney Robert N. Tracci said the threats represented a serious attack on democratic institutions and would be met with strict legal consequences.
“Threats of violence against elected officials affront the political process and the rule of law,” Tracci said in a statement. “This office will seek clear accountability against those who threaten public officials with acts of violence.”
The U.S. Secret Service led the investigation.
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