How does Comey's 'threat' against Trump compare to other defendants charged by DOJ?

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Following swift criticism of the post, Comey removed the photo, said he did not know the numbers were associated with violence, and condemned "violence of any kind."  "While this case is unique and this indictment stands out because of the name of the defendant, his alleged conduct at the same kind of conduct that we will never tolerate and that we will always investigate and regularly prosecute," Blanche said.   Blanche directly compared to the case to the guilty plea of a Florida man, Diego Villavicencio, who made multiple threats against Trump, Fed Chair Jerome Powell, and Rep. Eric Swalwell. Among the threats, Villavicencio wrote, "I'll kill you and your family." Prosecutors also alleged that Villavicencio posted on the platform 4chan that he was heading to Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate to do harm to Trump and others.  Villavicencio pleaded guilty to multiple felonies, including the same crime of sending interstate threats that Comey has been charged with.  Blanche said that prosecutors in the Eastern District of North Carolina recently brought "very similar" cases against defendants who made threats to public officials, appearing to reference the recent guilty plea of Michael James Ferr, who was sentenced to 27 months in prison for threatening to kill then-president Joe Biden.  Prosecutors allege that Ferr made "a threat to kill" both Biden and his children. When a Secret Service Agent began investigating the reported threats, Ferr allegedly threatened to kill him as well.  Prosecutors in Massachusetts earlier this month arrested a 45-year-old man for allegedly posting eight messages on Facebook threatening to kill Trump. He was charged with the same crime that Comey faces -- interstate transmission of threatening communications.  Among his threats, the man wrote about Trump, "I'll make sure you're at Mar-a-Lago when I burn it to the f------ ground." The man also allegedly brandished a sword when agents attempted to arrest him. He pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial. FBI Director Kash Patel speaks as Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche listens at a press conference on April 28, 2026 at the Department of Justice in Washington.Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images'Filled with political violence'Federal prosecutors in Kentucky earlier this month also brought charges of interstate threatening communication when they charged a 23-year-old man for posting a series of violent anti-Trump messages on social media.  According to prosecutors, the man threatened to cut Trump's face with a razor, among other violent acts. Prosecutors said the man began making the posts after declaring online, "im filled with political violence." The man was arrested this month and has not yet entered a plea. This month, federal prosecutors in Pennsylvania secured a guilty plea against a man who threatened to assault and murder Trump and other federal officials. The man pleaded guilty to threatening to murder government officials and impeding official duties -- different charges than Comey faces -- though both cases center on public threats to allegedly harm Trump. According to prosecutors, the man obtained a firearms permit after Trump was inaugurated and began posting threats online shortly thereafter.  Among the threats, he allegedly wrote, "Nah, we just need to start killing people," after which he referenced Trump and the heads of federal agencies. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events When acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the indictment Tuesday of James Comey for allegedly threatening President Donald Trump, he argued that the case against the former FBI director was \"very similar\" to other cases brought by the Department of Justice for threatening the president.  But a review of some of the cases directly cited by Blanche -- as well as other similar cases brought in the last year -- suggest that the Comey case is far from a run-of-the-mill indictment for threatening a public official.  The brief indictment against Comey centers on a single social media post showing seashells arranged to form the numbers \"86 47\" -- interpreted to mean \"get rid of\" Trump, the 47th president. Following swift criticism of the post, Comey removed the photo, said he did not know the numbers were associated with violence, and condemned \"violence of any kind.\"  \"While this case is unique and this indictment stands out because of the name of the defendant, his alleged conduct at the same kind of conduct that we will never tolerate and that we will always investigate and regularly prosecute,\" Blanche said.   Blanche directly compared to the case to the guilty plea of a Florida man, Diego Villavicencio, who made multiple threats against Trump, Fed Chair Jerome Powell, and Rep. Eric Swalwell. Among the threats, Villavicencio wrote, \"I'll kill you and your family.\" Prosecutors also alleged that Villavicencio posted on the platform 4chan that he was heading to Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate to do harm to Trump and others.  Villavicencio pleaded guilty to multiple felonies, including the same crime of sending interstate threats that Comey has been charged with.  Blanche said that prosecutors in the Eastern District of North Carolina recently brought \"very similar\" cases against defendants who made threats to public officials, appearing to reference the recent guilty plea of Michael James Ferr, who was sentenced to 27 months in prison for threatening to kill then-president Joe Biden.  Prosecutors allege that Ferr made \"a threat to kill\" both Biden and his children. When a Secret Service Agent began investigating the reported threats, Ferr allegedly threatened to kill him as well.  Prosecutors in Massachusetts earlier this month arrested a 45-year-old man for allegedly posting eight messages on Facebook threatening to kill Trump. He was charged with the same crime that Comey faces -- interstate transmission of threatening communications.  Among his threats, the man wrote about Trump, \"I'll make sure you're at Mar-a-Lago when I burn it to the f------ ground.\" The man also allegedly brandished a sword when agents attempted to arrest him. He pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial. Federal prosecutors in Kentucky earlier this month also brought charges of interstate threatening communication when they charged a 23-year-old man for posting a series of violent anti-Trump messages on social media.  According to prosecutors, the man threatened to cut Trump's face with a razor, among other violent acts. Prosecutors said the man began making the posts after declaring online, \"im filled with political violence.\" The man was arrested this month and has not yet entered a plea. This month, federal prosecutors in Pennsylvania secured a guilty plea against a man who threatened to assault and murder Trump and other federal officials. The man pleaded guilty to threatening to murder government officials and impeding official duties -- different charges than Comey faces -- though both cases center on public threats to allegedly harm Trump. According to prosecutors, the man obtained a firearms permit after Trump was inaugurated and began posting threats online shortly thereafter.  Among the threats, he allegedly wrote, \"Nah, we just need to start killing people,\" after which he referenced Trump and the heads of federal agencies.