Obama Threat Could Cost Miami Man Five Years In Prison
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – If you haven't learned by now Big Brother is always watching, even your Facebook page.
Joaquin Amador Serrapio Jr., 20, found that out the hard way. On Wednesday he pleaded guilty to onea count of threatening to kill or harm the president. Now he could be looking at up to five years in prison when he's sentenced 22nd.
Serrapio's attorney, Alan Ross, said it is likely that he will get less time.
A second year music business major at Miami-Dade College, who also fronts for a rock band group called the J. Valor Band, used the band's Facebook page to post a pair of threats against the president.
The threatening comments were made around the time Obama visited South Florida in February to deliver a speech at the University of Miami and attend two fundraisers.
The first post was made on Feb. 21, it read: "Who wants to help me assassinate Obummer while hes at UM this week?"
A second post, on Feb. 23 read: "If anyones going to UM to see Obama today, get ur phones out and record. Cause at any moment im gonna put a bullet through his head and u don't wanna miss that! Youtube!" the message said.
"He wanted to get a reaction from political supporters of President Obama," Ross said.
An anonymous call was made to the Coral Gables Police Department and the Secret Service dispatched two agents to Serrapio's home.
They found an iPad with one of the Facebook postings on it and a cell phone with a text message from one of Serrapio's friends who was knew the trouble Serrapio could face.
"LOL you can get in trouble for sayin' that", the text message said.
Serrapio's replied that he was simply "challenging" the Secret Services.
"I wanna kill atleast two of them when they get here," he said in that text.
During the search the only weapons that were found in Serrapio's possession were two pellet guns.
(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
