Charleston Man Arraigned on Threatening the President, Weapons Charges

A Charleston man is facing up to 15 years in prison and as much as $500,000 in fines after a Federal Grand Jury indicted him on two charges relating to threats against Pres. Barack Obama posted on his Facebook account.

Patrick Randell McIntosh, 28, of Charleston, was arraigned in Federal Court in Atlanta on Wednesday on charges of threatening the life of the President of the United States on Facebook and possessing three weapons and ammunition while under indictment of a felony, according to a U.S. Department of Justice statement.

"McIntosh is charged with making violent and disturbing threats online and via email to several people, including a threat to the life of the President of the United States," United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said in the DOJ statement. "Many state, local and federal law enforcement agencies have worked together to bring this potentially dangerous man into custody to protect the citizens of the United States."

McIntosh was indicted by a grand jury on the charges on Jan. 15. Atlanta Police caught up with McIntosh at a hotel in that city after a woman there he also allegedly threatened told them where he was staying. The woman told police McIntosh was stalking her, and investigators found threats to shoot various patrons of an Atlanta area club and threats to Obama had been posted on his Facebook account, according to the DOJ statement. Police also allegedly found three firearms and an unspecified amount of ammunition in his possession when they arrested McIntosh.

McIntosh faces a maximum sentence of 10 years on the threats charge and a maximum sentence of 5 years on the weapons charge. He could also be fine as much as $250,000 for each offense if convicted.

McIntosh was prohibited from possessing firearms under the terms of his bond release in South Carolina where he had been indicted for felony stalking, the statement noted.

The case is being investigated by the Joint Terrorism Task Force.