Arizona Man Sentenced for Threatening U.S. Leaders

Rene Ortiz, a 56-year-old resident of Casa Grande, Arizona, has been sentenced to 38 months in prison for making threats against former U. S. leaders.

The sentencing took place on October 20, 2026, following Ortiz's conviction by a federal jury on June 8, 2026. Ortiz was found guilty of two felony violations of Making Threats Against Successors to the Presidency and one felony violation of Making Threats Against Former Presidents.

The U. S. Attorney's Office stated that Ortiz's threats were directed at former Vice President Kamala Harris and President Donald Trump.

On November 5, 2024, which was Election Day, Ortiz delivered a written threat to the federal courthouse in Phoenix. In this threat, he expressed his intent to "execute the newly elected [President of the United States] by firing an M-16A2 service rifle with a magazine of 6 rounds."

Later, on November 25, 2024, Ortiz issued a second threat at the federal courthouse in Tucson. In this instance, he mentioned his plan to shoot "the incoming fraudulent elected [President of the United States] … at the inauguration on January 20th, 2025." These threats were taken seriously by law enforcement, leading to Ortiz's arrest on January 17, 2025, just days before the Presidential Inauguration.

The investigation into Ortiz's threats was conducted by the United States Secret Service, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. The prosecution of the case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Chang and Abbie Broughton from the District of Arizona, Phoenix.

Ortiz's conviction and sentencing underscore the seriousness with which threats against public officials are treated by the judicial system. The case, identified as 25-CR-00153-PHX-SMM, highlights the coordinated efforts of federal agencies to ensure the safety and security of elected leaders.