Christopher Key-Torrion Carnes, 33, was arrested in North Carolina after allegedly threatening US President Donald Trump in a series of social-media videos that repeatedly referenced Operation Epic Fury, the US military campaign targeting the Iranian regime.
A criminal complaint filed June 12 by a US Secret Service agent in the US District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina alleges that Carnes communicated threats against the president.
According to federal authorities, Carnes posted videos on social media in May and June in which he threatened Trump and claimed to possess explosive devices.
In a May 13 video posted to Facebook, Carnes said he wanted to “kill” Trump, adding, “You ran Operation Epic Fury. Charge me with a terroristic threat.”
Investigators said Carnes told officers with the Raleigh Police Department that he had been living in his vehicle and had traveled to Washington, D.C., on April 8.
Authorities said that in a June 6 video, Carnes discussed what he described as a bomb, stating, “Muslims like blowing up s–t.” In the same video, he allegedly addressed the president directly, saying, “Donald Trump, I don’t have time for Operation Epic Fury no more. Now you know I got a live f–king bomb.”
On June 10, Carnes drove to the police station and told officers he had explosive materials in his car. He was immediately detained.
A bomb-squad search of the vehicle recovered an empty PVC pipe and a metal pin matching items displayed in the videos, according to court documents.
Carnes has been charged in North Carolina with two counts of perpetrating a hoax involving a purported explosive device at a public building. He remains in custody on a federal detainer related to the alleged threats against the president.