FBI Arrests Illinois Man Accused of Making ‘Heinous’ Threats Against Trump

An Illinois man has been charged in federal court with making threats against President Donald Trump, following an investigation led by the FBI and the U.S. Secret Service.

Derek Lopez, 27, was arrested on Oct. 28 without incident in El Paso after FBI agents from the agency’s Springfield office and El Paso police conducted a coordinated traffic stop.

“The driver, identified as Derek Lopez of El Paso, was wanted on a federal warrant for making threats against the President,” the El Paso Police Department said in a statement. “Lopez was apprehended without resistance.”

The suspect was interviewed by FBI and Secret Service agents before being booked into the Woodford County Jail. He faces a federal charge of making threats against the president, a crime punishable by up to five years in prison.

FBI Director Kash Patel called the alleged threats “heinous” and said they would be pursued with the full force of law.

“The threats against President Trump allegedly posted by this individual are heinous and have no place in our society,” Patel said in a post on social media. “Let this be a message: anyone who threatens violence against public officials or any American will be found and brought to justice.”

Prior Arrest for Disorderly Conduct

In a viral video earlier this month, Lopez, a former Illinois State University graduate student and teaching assistant, was seen flipping over a table belonging to the university’s Turning Point USA chapter during a campus event.

Following an investigation by the Illinois State University Police Department (ISUPD) in connection with the table-flipping incident, Lopez was charged with disorderly conduct and criminal damage to property.

In connection with the incident, ISUPD Chief Aaron Woodruff said that the department is “committed to protecting the First Amendment rights as well as safety of everyone in our campus community.”

“We encourage all members of our community to learn more about free speech rights and responsibilities at Illinois State University, including constructive ways to respond when encountering speech they may disagree with,” Woodruff added.

Illinois State University also condemned Lopez’s actions in a statement, with the school saying that it “recognizes the diverse perspectives represented on our campus.”

“We expect everyone to listen and respond to opposing views with civility,” the university said in a separate statement posted on X.

Meanwhile, preliminary and detention hearings for Lopez in the Trump threats case are scheduled for Nov. 3 at the federal courthouse in Peoria, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois.

“Members of the public are reminded that the charges in a complaint are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law,” the attorney’s office stated.

Other Threats Against Trump

Federal authorities have brought similar charges in recent months against others accused of threatening Trump. In August, 50-year-old Nathalie Rose Jones was arrested and charged after posting multiple threats on social media, including a Facebook post declaring she was “willing to sacrificially kill this POTUS,” according to court documents.

Jones, who had recently moved to New York, allegedly told Secret Service agents during an interview that she would kill Trump if she had the opportunity and said she wanted to “avenge” lives lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. She was taken into custody after admitting to being the user behind the threatening posts.

“Threatening the life of the President is one of the most serious crimes and one that will be met with swift and unwavering prosecution,” U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said in a statement at the time. “Make no mistake—justice will be served.”

At the time, FBI official Matt McCool said agents “acted swiftly and decisively to neutralize this alleged threat before it could escalate,” adding that protecting the president “is our highest priority.”