A St. Paul man was arrested earlier this month after federal agents say he posted a TikTok "wanted" image offering $45,000 for the murder of U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. Tyler Maxon Avalos was taken into federal custody on Oct. 16 and is accused in a criminal complaint of transmitting a threat across state lines.
What court documents say the post showed
Federal court filings describe a mock "wanted" poster that placed a sniper-scope red dot over Bondi's forehead and read, "WANTED: Pam Bondi / REWARD: 45,000 / DEAD OR ALIVE (PREFERABLY DEAD)," with the caption "*cough cough* when they don't serve us then what?." According to Law&Crime, the affidavit identifies the account as "Wacko" — using an anarchist "A" — and notes a pinned link to "An Anarchist FAQ."
How investigators say they traced the account
A Detroit-area TikTok user reported the post to the FBI on Oct. 9, which prompted agents to seek emergency disclosure data from the platform, according to reporting that reviewed the affidavit. Investigators say they then tied device information, signup email and IP logs from TikTok to data from Google and Comcast that pointed to an address in St. Paul; surveillance allegedly confirmed the suspect before he was arrested. Reporting on the affidavit is available from New Media Detroit.
Accused's record and court conditions
The affidavit, as reported by Law&Crime, says Avalos was arrested on Oct. 16 and has a multistate conviction history including a July 2022 felony stalking conviction in Dakota County and a 2016 felony third‑degree domestic battery conviction in Polk County, Florida. U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas Micko reportedly granted pretrial release under conditions that include GPS monitoring, a curfew, no weapons or alcohol and limits on internet access.
Legal stakes and free‑speech questions
Prosecutors charged Avalos under 18 U.S.C. § 875(c), the federal statute that criminalizes the interstate transmission of threats; the offense carries a maximum statutory penalty of up to five years in prison, according to Cornell Law School's LII. Whether the post is an unprotected "true threat" rather than constitutionally protected political speech will be a central legal question; courts analyze context, intent and whether a reasonable person would view the communication as a serious expression of intent to harm, per Stanford's free‑speech guidance.
Bondi — who was confirmed by the Senate as U.S. attorney general earlier this year — has been the target of fierce online comment, but federal authorities say they treated the TikTok post as a credible threat and investigated accordingly. The case remains active; reporters are monitoring court filings and initial coverage appeared at KFBK.
