Man threatened to kill immigrants on day Trump took office
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Background: Marion County Superior Court in Indianapolis, Indiana (Google Maps). Inset: Preston Pickett (Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department).

An Indiana resident has received his sentence after admitting to making threats to “kill many illegals” during Donald Trump’s inauguration through TikTok posts.

Preston Pickett, aged 59, entered a guilty plea for a charge of threatening to commit terrorism, according to records from Marion County reviewed by Law&Crime. As a result, he was sentenced to two years behind bars. However, with credit for time already served, his remaining time in jail will be less than a year.

The situation unfolded on January 12 when the FBI alerted the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department about a local individual making threats on TikTok, according to a statement from the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office. Pickett’s threats were aimed at illegal immigrants, coinciding with Trump’s return to office.

“I will shoot on sight. I don’t check IDs, so you all are illegal to me,” Pickett wrote, as detailed in court documents obtained by local Fox affiliate WXIN. He further added, “I will kill many illegals on January 20.”

Pickett continued his alarming rhetoric with additional posts. “I will have my kills on the first day Trump takes office,” authorities reported one post saying, while another boasted, “I will be famous for killing the most illegals in one day.”

Law enforcement tracked the account’s IP address and email to Pickett, and they responded to a home in Southport to speak with him. As they did, he ran outside, screaming, “police were complicit with the illegals in this country,” according to Indianapolis-based NBC affiliate WTHR.

A detective then told him they were there to investigate the threats. Pickett reportedly responded by asking whether he “had the right to exercise his Second Amendment against foreign and domestic terrorists.” The officer said no.

Pickett’s cellphone and two guns were confiscated, and as part of his plea agreement, they were ordered to be destroyed.

The man had reportedly made threats before. In March 2024, he reportedly threatened to shoot up a Florida car wash, and in November 2023, the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office received an anonymous threat from a phone registered to Pickett claiming he would use a rifle to shoot employees while they walked to their vehicles, per WTHR.

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