A Butler, Pennsylvania, man has pleaded guilty in federal court to making threats to assault and kill President Donald Trump, along with other U.S. officials and federal immigration agents, the Justice Department said Monday.
Shawn Monper, 32, entered the plea before U.S. District Judge W. Scott Hardy to two counts of threatening to assault and murder U.S. officials with the intent to impede or retaliate against them in the course of their duties.
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As part of the plea agreement, Monper also accepted responsibility for additional charges from 2025 that were brought against him in the case.
Authorities said the threats targeted Trump, other federal officials, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. The charges stem from online statements in which Monper expressed intentions to carry out violent acts, including assassination threats and mass violence.
Monper was first charged in April 2025 following an FBI investigation that traced threatening communications from a YouTube account called “Mr Satan” to his home address. He was later indicted by a federal grand jury on multiple counts related to the threats.
“I have bought several guns and been stocking up on ammo since Trump got in office,” Monper commented using his “Mr Satan” account.
“I have been buying 1 gun a month since the election, body armor, and ammo,” he said on another occasion.
Law enforcement officials said at the time that the threats were serious and prompted swift action to prevent any possible attack. Monper had allegedly made statements about acquiring weapons and targeting public officials, heightening investigators’ concerns.
The case carries added resonance because Monper lived in Butler, the same western Pennsylvania community where Trump was shot during a campaign rally in July 2024.
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Federal prosecutors have emphasized that threats against public officials are treated as serious criminal offenses, regardless of whether a defendant has the means to carry them out.
A sentencing date for Monper has been set for Aug. 12. If convicted on the charges, he could serve up to 10 years in prison per charge and pay a fine of up to $250,000, or both.
