Former Virginia Beach Man Sentenced for Making Threats Against Former President Joe Biden, Vice President Harris

ROANOKE, Va. – A former Virginia Beach man, who repeatedly threatened the lives of former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris through a series of phone calls to local government offices, was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison.

Kevin Butler, 47, was found guilty of seven counts of knowingly and willfully making various threats against the president and vice president of the United States following a two-day bench trial in December 2024.

“Threats of violence against elected officials affront the political process and the rule of law,” Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci said today. “This office will seek clear accountability against those who threaten public officials with acts of violence.”

According to evidence presented at that trial and other court records, in early December 2022, Butler made a series of phone calls to a Virginia Probation and Parole office in which he threatened the lives of then-President Joe Biden and then-Vice President Kamala Harris.

Butler left several voicemails vocalizing his threats. For example, he threatened to get a MAK 90 (a semiautomatic firearm), “jump over the fence” outside the White House and “kill the President.”

This is the second time Butler has been convicted of making threats against the president and vice president. In 2014, Butler was convicted in the Eastern District of Virginia for making threats against then-President Barack Obama and then-Vice President Joe Biden.

Robert N. Tracci, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia made the announcement. 

The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Scheff and Keith Parrella prosecuted the case for the United States.