An Arizona man faces serious charges after federal authorities allege he made threats against the President-elect and lied to buy guns. Manuel Tamayo-Torres, from Tolleson, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on multiple offenses including making threats toward the President-elect and firearms charges, according to a report by the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona. Tamayo-Torres is accused of attempting to purchase firearms on two occasions in November 2023 while providing false statements regarding his criminal record and restraining order status.
The indictment states that Tamayo-Torres was previously convicted of a felony assault that inflicted great bodily injury and was under a restraining order, prohibiting him from firearm possession. Despite this, it is alleged that on two occasions he attempted to purchase firearms by falsifying his background information. A social media post from November 2024 implicated Tamayo-Torres in threatening to kill the President-elect and harm his family, displaying a firearm alongside the threatening statements. The firearms were later found at his home.
As outlined by the official statement, the federal grand jury is charging Tamayo-Torres with four counts of False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm, one count each of Threats Against the President and Successors to the Presidency, Interstate Threatening Communications, and Possession of a Firearm by a Person Subject to an Order of Protection. The charges come with hefty potential penalties, including prison time and fines up to $250,000.
Tamayo-Torres was arrested in San Diego on November 25, 2024, and remains in custody awaiting a hearing in the District of Arizona. It is important to remember that an indictment is not a conviction—it is merely a formal accusation. An individual is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The ongoing investigation into Tamayo-Torres' alleged offenses is being led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, along with the United States Secret Service, supported by the United States Marshals Service and the United States Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of California. The prosecution is being handled by the United States Attorney’s Office in Phoenix, Arizona.
