James Dale Reed: Baltimore man charged with threatening to kidnap Joe Biden and Kamala Harris

The US Secret Service became aware of suspect when he threatened another person in their protection in 2014

James Dale Reed is charged with threatening a presidential candidate after he sent a letter claiming he would beat and kidnap Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and rape Senator Kamala Harris. (US Department of Justice)

A Baltimore man has been charged by the US Secret Service after he allegedly threatened to kidnap Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris.

James Dale Reed, 42, reportedly wrote a letter in which he threatens to beat "Grandpa Biden", to rape Ms Harris, and to target supporters of the Democrats with violence, according to The Baltimore Sun.  

“We have a list of homes and addresses by your election signs. We are the ones with those scary guns, We are the ones your children have nightmares about. The Boogeymen coming in the night,” Mr Reed allegedly wrote.

He was caught on a home security camera delivering the letter to a home in the middle of the night. He was arrested last week by Frederick Police and is being held without bail.  

After US Secret Service agents asked Mr Reed for his fingerprints and a handwriting sample, he reportedly confessed to writing the letter. In the charging documents, Mr Reed said he wrote the letters because he was upset by the political situation in the country.  

The federal criminal complaint alleges that "the defendant, James Dale Reed, knowingly and willfully threatened to kill and to kidnap and to inflict bodily harm upon Joseph Biden and Kamala Harris, who are major candidates for the office of the President and Vice President of the United States.”

Mr Reed told investigators that he did not know the homeowner, and that he selected the home because it was the first he saw with a sign supporting Mr Biden and Ms Harris.  

US Secret Service agents were already aware of Mr Reed, as he had previously threatened an individual in their protection in 2014.  

According to his Facebook page, Mr Reed is a semi-pro bodybuilder. He called police "a bunch of thugs and gang members" in a Facebook post for searching his home.  

“I just got my house raided today and my stuff stolen from me because they felt that I was a threat to societee [sic] and I have made no threat to societee but they came into my house sees my property and stole everything," he wrote.

Incidents of politically-motivated threats have increased as the 2020 US election draws near.  

A number of militia members are accused of plotting to kidnap Gretchen Whitmer, the Democratic governor of Michigan who is often singled out for abuse by Donald Trump, and put her on “trial”. The suspects were reportedly upset at the measures she had brought in to try and halt the spread of the coronavirus.

In Baltimore County, a man was charged with assault for allegedly shooting a shotgun last week towards supporters of Donald Trump.  

The man, Douglas Kuhn, 50, was placing a "Black Lives Matter" sign in his yard when a truck with a Trump campaign sign drove by and honked at him. Mr Kuhn allegedly grabbed a shotgun and shot it once. There were no injuries.  

In Medina County, Ohio, individuals with signs supporting Mr Biden and Ms Harris had their signs stolen and their mail boxes blown up. They also received letters from neighbours that called them "anti America" and "anti God" among other allegations.  

Medina County Democratic Chairperson Mike Kovack said they had received 150 reports of stolen political signs.