A Grand Rapids man is under federal indictment after he allegedly made threats on social media towards President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, as per documents from the U.S. District Court. According to The Detroit News, the accused, James Donald Vance Jr., used the nickname "Diaperjdv" on the Bluesky platform to express his contempt, including a threat that the president and vice president "will leave it in a body bag" if they visited his city again. The suspect should not be confused with the U.S. vice president, who shares a similar name.
The threats, made on April 1 and March 7, caught the attention of federal authorities. "I will either be shot by a secret service sniper or spend the rest of my life in prison," and "I’ve only got about 10 years of life left anyway so I don’t f—— care either way,” Vance Jr. reportedly posted, as detailed in the indictment and reported by WOODTV. This man's account has since been suspended from the Bluesky app.
Vance Jr. now faces one count of threatening to kill and injure the president and vice president of the United States, along with two counts of interstate threatening communication. If found guilty, the charges could lead to up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. WZZM13 reports that Vance Jr. pleaded not guilty to all counts and has been released on his own recognizance, with strict conditions including no social media use and monitored computer and internet usage.
Following his arraignment in U.S. District Court, Vance is subject to close monitoring. He is restricted from leaving western Michigan without court approval and is forbidden from using or possessing alcohol or any firearms, according to court documents obtained by The Detroit News. His public defender, Helen C. Nieuwenhuis, has not issued a comment on the situation. The case is set to be overseen by U.S. District Court Judge Paul L. Maloney.
