26 year-old suspect accused of vandalizing JD Vance’s Ohio home

A person accused of vandalizing Vice President JD Vance’s home in Cincinnati, Ohio is facing multiple federal charges after allegedly damaging the protected residence and confronting law enforcement, according to prosecutors.

According to a criminal complaint and affidavit filed on Monday, the incident occurred around midnight at the vice president’s protected residence in Cincinnati. U.S. Secret Service agents observed the suspect, identified as 26-year-old William D. DeFoor, running along the front fence before he allegedly breached the property line at the driveway.

Authorities said DeFoor attempted to break the driver’s side window of an unmarked federal law enforcement vehicle blocking the driveway entrance while armed with a hammer.

Charging documents state DeFoor ignored repeated commands from law enforcement to stop and drop the weapon and began striking windows across the front of the residence. DeFoor allegedly attempted to flee on foot before being detained by Secret Service agents and Cincinnati police officers.

Prosecutors said the hammer strikes damaged enhanced security assets on each window owned by the U.S. government, with losses valued at more than $28,000.

In a statement posted on social media, JD Vance said he and his family were not home at the time of the incident.

“I appreciate everyone’s well wishes about the attack at our home. As far as I can tell, a crazy person tried to break in by hammering the windows,” Vance wrote. “I’m grateful to the secret service and the Cincinnati police for responding quickly. We weren’t even home as we had returned already to DC.”

DeFoor, who identifies as a transgender woman, is charged by criminal complaint with damaging government property, engaging in physical violence against any person or property in a restricted building or grounds, and assaulting, resisting, or impeding federal officers, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio.

Causing more than $1,000 in damage to United States property and engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds are each federal crimes punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Assaulting, resisting, or impeding federal officers carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison.

Authorities did not release a motive for the incident. The case remains under federal prosecution.