Ronnie "Chip" Austin Jr., a 56-year-old Texas man, has been indicted on federal charges for allegedly threatening to injure, kidnap and kill President Donald Trump, according to court documents unsealed in the Eastern District of Texas.
Background
Austin stands accused of sending a series of threatening emails between March 16 and May 17, authorities say. The messages, addressed to unidentified recipients, contained explicit threats against the president and numerous other individuals and entities, federal prosecutors allege. According to the indictment, Austin claimed that various federal agencies, including the CIA, FBI, and IRS, as well as the U.S. Supreme Court, had been 'conspiring and taking actions against' his life and livelihood.
The Charges
A four-count indictment handed up on Wednesday and unsealed Friday charges Austin with one count each of threats against the president and successors to the presidency, and interstate communications containing a threat to kidnap or injure. A second count addresses an alleged communication sent 'from the State of Texas to the State of Arizona' that contained similar threatening material along with other content, prosecutors say.
The charging document details Austin's allegedly explicit threats. In one email cited by prosecutors, he wrote: 'My life has been threatened by the actions of the CIA and the FBI, and by legal extension, YOU, the President of the USA. So, I hereby am threatening you Mr. President! I am an active threat, a clear and present danger to the President of the USA.'
The indictment also references a subheading in all-capitalized bold letters reading 'PREPARE TO BE ATTACKED,' followed by detailed instructions allegedly telling the president to order military or National Guard forces to surround government installations. The email then suggested this would make it easier for Austin and his supporters to kill individuals in what he claimed was self-defense, according to prosecutors.
The second count identifies additional alleged targets including employees of Raytheon and other businesses, members of state and county government in Texas, employees of the Defense Logistics Agency, employees of the United States Air Force, and members of Congress.
"This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime," the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Texas said in a press release.
Key Takeaways
- Ronnie 'Chip' Austin Jr., 56, of Texas, faces two federal counts related to threats against the president
- Emails allegedly sent between March 16 and May 17 contained explicit threats against Trump, Congress members, and defense contractor employees
- Austin was arrested on June 4 and is being represented by the Federal Public Defender's Office
- The case falls under 'Operation Take Back America,' a DOJ initiative targeting violent crime
What's Next
Austin remains in custody following his June 4 arrest. He will face proceedings in federal court in the Eastern District of Texas, where the indictment was returned. As this is an active criminal case, all allegations remain at the charging stage and have not been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.