The Department of Justice has taken legal action against an individual accused of making a menacing TikTok post that allegedly promised a $45,000 reward for the assassination of Attorney General Pam Bondi.
This alarming development underscores the growing concern over threats made via social media platforms.
According to the Daily Caller, the situation came to light when a fellow TikTok user alerted the FBI about the post by Tyler Maxon Avalos on October 9. The affidavit, filed in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, included a screenshot of the purported threat.
The post featured a photograph of Attorney General Bondi with a sniper-scope red dot on her forehead, accompanied by the text, "WANTED: Pam Bondi" / "REWARD: 45,000" / "DEAD OR ALIVE" / "(PREFERABLY DEAD)." A comment beneath the image read, "*cough cough* / when they dont serve us then what?"
Avalos was apprehended on October 16, as reported by the New York Post, and now faces charges of Interstate Transmission of a Threat to Injure the Person of Another, a violation of 18 USC 875. This charge carries a potential penalty of up to five years in federal prison.
Avalos' criminal history is extensive, with convictions spanning multiple states, including a felony stalking conviction in July 2022 from Dakota County, a felony third-degree domestic battery in August 2016 from Polk County, Florida, and a misdemeanor domestic assault in April 2016 from Dakota County, which was initially a felony charge of domestic assault by strangulation.
President Donald Trump appointed Pam Bondi as Attorney General in November 2024, following the withdrawal of former Republican Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida from consideration. Bondi's impressive career includes two terms as Florida's attorney general and 18 years as a prosecutor.
She also served as an attorney for President Trump during his first impeachment trial, where he was acquitted by the Senate.
Despite the gravity of the situation, Bondi has not yet provided a comment to the Daily Caller News Foundation. This incident raises critical questions about the security of public officials and the role of social media in facilitating threats, highlighting the need for vigilance and robust legal measures to address such dangers.
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