North Carolina man accused of threatening to kill ICE agents

A North Carolina man was arrested after threatening to kill Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and police officers if immigration enforcement actions were not halted, according to officials.

Johnathan Trent Thomas, 27, of Linwood, was arrested on Friday and remains in custody pending a detention hearing, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of North Carolina.

According to court documents unsealed in federal court in Charlotte, Thomas allegedly made a series of violent threats during two phone calls to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) on Wednesday.

In those calls, he allegedly threatened to kill ICE agents and CMPD officers if immigration enforcement actions did not cease. He also claimed he was coming to Charlotte equipped with armor-piercing ammunition, body armor, and night vision gear, warning that he would “shoot them all” if he saw officers making arrests.

Investigators believe Thomas was referring to prior ICE arrests carried out on Albemarle Road in Charlotte. The affidavit also states that Thomas warned he would open fire if any officer pointed a weapon at him and said he would “Swiss cheese” the officers if they repeated their previous actions.

Thomas allegedly went further, warning that he had placed Tannerite — a type of explosive — around his home in case law enforcement arrived. He also referenced the April 29, 2024, mass shooting in Charlotte that left four officers dead, saying he “could do a whole lot better than that.”

According to federal authorities, Thomas has a documented history of making threats against law enforcement agencies, including the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office and CMPD. On previous occasions, he is accused of following marked police vehicles while officers were on duty.

During a search of Thomas’s residence on Friday, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents recovered three rifles and a handgun.

The suspect faces a federal charge of threatening to assault or murder federal law enforcement officers, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison if convicted.