A Michigan man named James Donald Vance, Jr., was sentenced to two years in federal prison for posting threatening messages online, including threats to kill the President and Vice President of the United States, as well as one of the President’s children, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan.

The defendant, who used the alias “Diaperjdv,” posted multiple threats on social media platforms such as Bluesky, X, and TikTok, declaring he would kill President Donald J. Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and others despite facing potential arrest by Secret Service or spending time in prison. He pled guilty to two felony offenses: threatening to kill or injure the President and vice president, and interstate threatening communications, with each violation carrying a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney described the crime as “grievous conduct” requiring a prison sentence to deter others from making similar threats. U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey emphasized that threats against national leaders will not be tolerated, stating such conduct damages democratic ideals and must be punished. Special Agent William Shink of the U.S. Secret Service’s Detroit Field Office confirmed individuals who threaten protectees will be investigated and held accountable.

This is the second time in one month that a defendant has been sentenced in the Western District of Michigan for threatening to kill the President, following Richard James Spring’s 18-month prison sentence for a post where he threatened to sexually assault a woman in front of Trump and then kill him.