Thomas Welnicki, a 72-year-old man, was arrested after he made several threats to kidnap and kill former U.S. President Donald Trump. In one of his threats Welnicki said he would take the extreme step if Trump had refused to leave the office following the 2020 elections.
The Secret Service police arrested Welnicki on Monday following which he appeared in Brooklyn Federal Court. He was ordered to be released on $50,000 bond by Brooklyn Federal Judge Vera Scanlon.
Trump and His Supporters Were on Welnicki's Target
A criminal complaint against Welnicki, a resident of Rockaway Beach, Queens, stated that he allegedly made several threats to Trump and a dozen unidentified members of Congress through multiple calls placed to Secret Service offices and other law enforcement.
CNBC reported that even though the complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, does not identify Trump by his name, a footnote in that document identifies Welnicki's target as the person who served as president from January 2017 through January 2021.
"During a voluntary interview on or about July 21, 2020, Welnicki told United States Capitol Police that 'if [Individual-1] loses the 2020 election and refused to step down,' Welnicki would 'acquire weapons' and 'take him down,'" that complaint read.
"Welnicki bragged about how easy it was for him to acquire a firearm and added, 'I don't want to hurt anyone, but I will stand up to fascism. At the end of the interview, Welnicki stated, 'I really hope that God takes [Individual-1] out,'" it added further.
Welnicki Claimed There Was a Bounty to Kill Trump
New York Post reported that the complaint stated that the 72-year-old also claimed that there was a $350,000 bounty to kill Trump and 12 members of Congress who helped him.
In a voicemail left at Secret Service's Long Island Branch on January 4, 2021, Welnicki said, "I am going to do anything I can to take out [Individual-1]. Oh yeah that's a threat, come and arrest me."
"I will do anything I can to take out [Individual-1] and his 12 monkeys. If I had the opportunity to do it in Manhattan that would be awesome. Tomorrow [Individual-1] will be in Georgia, maybe I will. I'm going to Georgia tomorrow, I think [Individual-1] is going to be there," he said.
