The case centers on a Raleigh man sentenced to 27 months in prison and three years of supervised release for online threats directed at then-President Joseph Biden and a Secret Service agent who investigated those threats.
A federal judge handed down the 27-month prison term after Michael James Ferr, 31, admitted guilt on August 19, 2025, for making violent threats. The sentence also includes three years of supervised release following incarceration. These events unfolded after posts and an in-person interview that raised alarm among federal law enforcement.
Court filings and testimony describe a series of disturbing posts made on X.com on January 10, 2025, in which Ferr included explicit death threats aimed at then-President Biden. His age and hometown — a 31-year-old from Raleigh — are part of the public record and were cited during prosecution. Federal authorities treated the online remarks as credible enough to trigger a formal investigation.
On January 14, 2025, agents with the United States Secret Service interviewed Ferr about the social media posts, and prosecutors say that during that meeting he threatened to kill the agent conducting the inquiry. That on-site threat elevated the matter from an online provocation to a direct danger to a federal officer. Prosecutors emphasized that the combination of online statements and the interview response formed the basis for the charges.
“This sentence makes one thing clear: threatening to murder the President of the United States or any federal agents sworn to protect our nation will bring swift and serious consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “We do not tolerate violent statements that cross the line into criminal threats. Our office will continue to defend the safety of our public officials and stand firmly behind our law enforcement officers who put themselves in harm’s way to protect us every day.”
Alongside that statement from the U.S. Attorney, the Secret Service pointed to the broader risk these incidents represent for public officials and law enforcement. “This case highlights the dangers our public officials face every day,” stated Meghan Dubea, USSS Resident Agent in Charge – Raleigh Resident Office. “Law enforcement and our judicial system must never waver even when threatened with violence or facing danger. We are thankful for the Raleigh Police Department and for the United States Attorney’s Office for ensuring Michael Ferr was held accountable.”
The National Security Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office led the prosecution, and the United States Secret Service investigated with assistance from the Raleigh Police Department. The matter is now part of the federal docket under Case No. 5:25-CR-00085 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, and related filings can be located through the court’s public records systems. That coordination between federal prosecutors, Secret Service agents, and local police underscores how seriously threats against high office and protectors are taken.
A document described in earlier reporting and court materials was identified with the label “Biden Threat” and made available on a third-party document site; the publicly referenced exhibit was used in the investigative and prosecutorial process. The presence of an externally hosted document helped corroborate the content that prompted the initial questioning and the subsequent criminal case. While the online post jump-started attention, it was the follow-up interactions with law enforcement that sealed the federal response.
The sentence seeks both immediate punishment and a period of monitored reentry into the community, reflecting a dual aim of deterrence and public safety. From a Republican perspective focused on law and order, the result shows the justice system acting to protect officials and enforce consequences for violent threats. The message from prosecutors and investigators is straightforward: threats against the President or federal agents trigger federal action and can lead to substantial prison time.
