Overview
- U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney issued the sentence in Kalamazoo, calling the conduct "grievous" and warranting incarceration to deter others.
- James Donald Vance Jr., 67, pleaded guilty to threatening to kill or injure the President and Vice President and to interstate threatening communications, offenses that each carry up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
- Investigators said Vance used the Bluesky handle "Diaperjdv" in March and April 2025 to post threats naming President Donald J. Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and one of the President’s children.
- Court filings quoted a post stating targets would "leave in a body bag" and that he did not care if he was shot by the Secret Service or spent the rest of his life in prison.
- The Grand Rapids office of the U.S. Secret Service led the investigation, and officials noted a similar Western Michigan case on Oct. 20 in which Richard James Spring received 18 months for threats against the President.