Local man accused of threatening to kill President Obama

Gavin Friedman, 21, arrested

SAN ANTONIO – A federal grand jury indicted a local man on charges he threatened to kill President Barack Obama.

Gavin Friedman, 21, was already in jail in Kerr County on unrelated charges when he was arrested on the federal charges.

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An indictment alleges Friedman mailed four letters threatening the president. It said on Jan. 22, Friedman wrote "specifically stating that Obama will be killed so that (Friedman) can be martyred in the name of Allah." On April 3, Friedman allegedly wrote a letter "specifically stating that he is going to assassinate Obama because Obama is a puppet for (ZOG) Zionist Organized Government." On Sept. 19, Friedman is accused of sending another letter saying, "I am going to kill (Obama)...He is a dead [expletive]." A Sept. 27 letter allegedly said, "I am going to kill (Obama) that stupid [expletive]."

Friedman is accused of mailing other threats, including one Sep. 19 about destroying the Federal Bureau of Investigation Field Office in Houston and the White House in Washington, D.C., with an explosive. Another letter sent the same day allegedly threatened "to kill the United States Attorney and kidnap and kill the United States Attorney's family." A Sep. 27 letter allegedly said Friedman "has hired people to kill the United States Attorney and kidnap the United States Attorney's family."

The indictment did not say to whom the letters were sent.

Friedman is being held without bond. Court documents claim "a serious risk exists that the Defendant will obstruct or attempt to obstruct justice, or threaten, injure or intimidate or attempt to threaten, injure or intimidate a prospective witness or juror; a serious risk exists that the accused will flee; and clear and convincing evidence supports the conclusion that no condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure the safety any other person or of the community."

Jail records from Kerr County show Friedman served time in February 2015 for assault. He also served time in state prison for obstruction or retaliation. His last address was listed in Austin, but Friedman has lived in Kerrville.

Friedman was scheduled to appear in federal court later this month, but he has waived that hearing.