An Casa Grande man, Rene Ortiz, was convicted by a federal jury this month for threatening to kill former Vice President Kamala Harris and President Donald Trump.
The 56-year-old Ortiz was found guilty of two felony violations for Making Threats Against Successors to the Presidency and one felony violation of Threats Against Former Presidents. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 1, 2026, before Senior U.S. District Judge Stephen M. McNamee.
According to the Department of Justice, on Nov. 5, 2024—Election Day—Ortiz delivered to the federal courthouse in Phoenix a written threat to “execute the newly elected [President of the United States] by firing an M-16A2 service rifle with a magazine of 6 rounds,” directed at both candidates.
After the election, on Nov. 25, 2024, Ortiz delivered a second threat to shoot “the incoming fraudulent elected [President of the United States] … at the inauguration on January 20th, 2025,” to the federal courthouse in Tucson. When interviewed by the U.S. Secret Service about the threats, Ortiz repeated his intent to make the threats; he was subsequently arrested on Jan. 17, 2025, ahead of the Presidential Inauguration.
A conviction for Threats Against the President and Successors to the Presidency or Threats Against Former Presidents carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, a maximum fine of up to $250,000, or both, and a term of supervised release of up to three years.
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