BOSTON — Trenton Touch, 18, of Tewksbury said little at his federal court arraignment on a charge of threatening to kill the President of the United States.
In a criminal complaint, federal prosecutors allege Touch maintained four Instagram accounts that contained violent and threatening content, including threats to shoot up a school and to kill President Donald Trump.
One post allegedly read:
“It’s time. I’m gonna kill trump.”
In a search of Touch’s home, authorities say they found a revolver, and in his bedroom, they say they found military supplies including knives, a hatchet, and Nazi symbols.
In a search of Touch’s grandfather’s New Hampshire home, where authorities say Touch frequently stayed, they found a rifle similar to the one used in the alleged threat on President Trump.
At Federal Court, Touch’s attorney suggested there were two versions of Trenton Touch,
One who is no more than an online persona who made reckless social media statements.
The other, the attorney said, is the “real world” Trenton Touch: an 18-year-old high school graduate, with no criminal record, who hopes to one day follow his mother’s footsteps by graduating from UMASS Lowell.
After the hearing, his family had nothing to say to us.
Trenton Touch remains held in federal detention pending a detention hearing next week.
If convicted, Trenton Touch is facing a maximum five-year sentence and a fine of up to $250,000.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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