Austin Man Arrested for Threatening Presidential Staffer

AUSTIN, Texas – An Austin man was arrested Wednesday on criminal charges related to his alleged threats against a presidential staff member.

According to court documents, on the night of Aug. 25, Thomas Austria Crouse allegedly called the personal phone of an individual working for the President of the United States. When the call went to voicemail, Crouse left a recording in which he allegedly threatened to find the administration official, decapitate them, and kill the victim’s family. Given the violent nature of the voicemail and the references to the victim’s job as a presidential staffer, the voicemail was reported to the FBI. The criminal complaint alleges that further investigation revealed the phone call came from Austin. Crouse was identified as the caller.

The complaint alleges that during an Aug. 26 investigative interview with the FBI, agents urged Crouse to cease making direct threats, to which he agreed. After the interview, however, Crouse allegedly left a series of five new voicemails on the administration official’s phone telling the victim to commit suicide.

Crouse was arrested on Aug. 27 based on a criminal complaint accusing him of transmitting an interstate communication containing a threat to injure the person of another. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

The FBI, U.S. Secret Service, and Washington, D.C. Capitol Police are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Roomberg is prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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