A Portland man accused of posting violent messages online that targeted President Donald Trump and supporters of Immigration and Customs Enforcement was arrested Wednesday and brought into federal court, where prosecutors promptly moved to delay any chance of his release.
FBI agents arrested 41-year-old Travis William Juhr at his Portland home, and he appeared before a magistrate in Portland that afternoon. Prosecutors told the judge they needed more time to investigate the alleged online threats before a detention decision is made.
According to an FBI affidavit and local reporting, investigators say Juhr posted multiple threats on social platforms aimed at Trump and people backing ICE. One message that investigators traced to Juhr allegedly included a photo of a Sig Sauer rifle next to two stickers, a green frog and another that read "i choose violence," sent in a Facebook message on Feb. 2. Court records also allege he threatened a woman and her 13-year-old son who had attended a counterprotest outside the ICE building on Nov. 22. As reported by OregonLive, investigators traced at least one post to a phone number linked to Juhr.
At Wednesday’s first appearance, federal prosecutors asked a magistrate to delay a release hearing while they continued their review of the alleged posts. As OregonLive reported, U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacie F. Beckerman said the government had shown cause to postpone the hearing.
Juhr is no stranger to demonstrations at the South Waterfront. The Portland Police Bureau booked a Travis W. Juhr into the Multnomah County Detention Center on Nov. 8 on a charge of third-degree criminal mischief, and public court records show earlier state arrests were later dismissed. The PPB news release documenting the November booking is available on the city website: Portland Police Bureau.
Legal context
Threats against the president are a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. § 871, which makes it unlawful to knowingly and willfully threaten the life of the president and carries penalties that can include up to five years in prison. That statute, along with other federal laws that criminalize threats against government officials, gives prosecutors the tools to pursue cases that start with online posts and grow into broader investigations. For the statute’s full text, see Cornell Law School’s LII.
What happens next
Prosecutors told the court they needed additional time to gather evidence, and the matter will return to federal court for further proceedings. The arrest comes after months of sometimes heated clashes outside the ICE field office in South Waterfront, an episode that featured one arrest amid South Waterfront protests last November, and federal investigators say they will continue their review.
