A former Illinois State University teaching assistant, Derek Lopez, was arrested this week in a joint operation by the FBI and the U.S. Secret Service, federal officials say, and is now facing federal charges after allegedly making threats against President Donald Trump.
The arrest follows a month-long investigation coordinated among the FBI, Secret Service and the Illinois State University Police Department, the FBI said in a memo obtained by media outlets.
Authorities allege Lopez recently posted or made threats directed at the sitting president; those allegations form the basis of the current federal charges, the memo states.
Lopez previously drew attention after being arrested by local police for flipping over a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) table on the ISU campus; he was subsequently fired from his teaching-assistant position.
That local incident is separate from the federal investigation into alleged threats, officials said.
FBI Director Kash Patel commented on the case in an interview with Fox News Digital, calling the alleged threats “heinous” and saying they have “no place in American society.”
He added that the FBI will pursue and prosecute individuals who issue violent threats against public officials or private citizens.
Details about the exact federal charges, the venue for prosecution, and any potential penalties were not immediately released. Lopez is in federal custody pending initial court proceedings.
The FBI said the investigation remains active and asked anyone with relevant information to contact authorities.
