New York Man Charged With Threats Against The President Of The United States

WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jesse Allen Blake, age 24, of Waverly, New York, was indicted by  a federal grand jury on August 22, 2019, with threats against the President of the United States and mailing a threatening communication.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that Blake mailed a letter to FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C. on March 29, 2019, threatening to kill President Trump and blow up the White House, Trump Tower, the Pentagon, and United Nations Headquarters when he was released from prison.  At the time he sent the letter, Blake was in custody on state charges at the Bradford County Correctional Facility in Troy, Pennsylvania.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service with the assistance from the FBI Task Force, and the Bradford County Correctional Facility.  Assistant U.S. Attorney George J. Rocktashel is prosecuting the case.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is a total of 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.