Would-be Trump assassin expected to plead guilty
Detroit – A Grand Rapids man charged with threatening to assassinate President Donald Trump and blow “white brains” out of his head is expected to plead guilty, according to federal court records.
A new criminal charge was filed Monday against truck driver James Anthony Jackson that indicates a guilty plea is expected in coming days. His lawyer could not be reached for comment Monday.
The filing comes three months after Jackson was accused of issuing the threats during repeated phone calls to U.S. Secret Service offices.
Jackson, whose age was not available, is charged with a five-year felony.
Jackson made several calls that escalated in threatening behavior, according to the complaint.
From Oct. 12-13, Jackson repeatedly called the Secret Service field office in Chicago, Special Agent Matthew Lariviere wrote in the complaint.
“Better watch Donald Trump ass, ya bitch,” Jackson said, according to court records. “Ya’ll think someone playing with yo dumbasses, I am going to blow white brains out ... his (expletive) head.”
It appeared Jackson was masking his real number, according to the agent.
On Oct. 18, Jackson made more phone calls to the Secret Service field office in Detroit, the agent wrote.
“Why ya’ll messing with my wires,” Jackson said, according to the court filing. “I’m going to blow Trump’s brains out.”
Jackson called from a phone with a 616 area code number.
The number was registered to James Jackson Profit Group LLC in Grand Rapids, according to the agent. The company, which does not appear in state business records, is linked to an outreach center in Grand Rapids.
Phone records also showed Jackson frequently called a woman in the 517 area code. The woman told investigators she had met a man online named “Jamie” who had harassed and threatened her from the same Grand Rapids-area phone number used by Jackson.
Jamie threatened to “cut off her head and parade it in front of the White House for Trump,” according to the court filing.
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