An Arizona man is behind bars after allegedly posting online threats to murder a local sheriff, followed by a bizarre request asking Donald Trump to shield him from legal consequences.
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office announced charges on Thursday against 30-year-old Jose Angel Valadez. He faces counts of threatening and intimidating, alongside the use of an electronic device to threaten.
According to investigators, Valadez posted “direct threats” to kill Maricopa County Sheriff Jerry Sheridan on Wednesday using the social media platform X. Law enforcement moved quickly after spotting the posts.
“Our Threat Management Unit conducted a rapid investigation that located and took Valadez into custody the same day,” deputies said in a statement.
While officials confirmed that Valadez requested “full presidential immunity” in his threats, they did not release the exact wording of his posts.
The agency emphasized that it takes any targeting of public officials seriously.
“The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office enforces the rule of law without exception and will not tolerate threats or violence against elected officials, delivering swift and decisive consequences to anyone who attempts to intimidate this agency or its personnel,” the department stated.
Sheridan took office after winning the 2024 general election to lead Maricopa County, which covers the Phoenix metropolitan area and stands as Arizona’s largest county.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
