Milwaukee — A Wisconsin man is facing charges for allegedly faking a letter threatening President Donald Trump’s life in order to deport another man.
According to a criminal complaint filed on Monday, Demetric D. Scott addressed a letter to state and federal officials using Ramón Morales Reyes’ return address and name.
Scott was charged on Monday with felony witness intimidation, identity theft, and two counts of bail jumping. His attorney, Robert Hampton III, did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press requesting comment.
On May 21, immigration officers apprehended Morales Reyes, 54, after he dropped off his child at school in Milwaukee. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed the arrest, stating that he had written a letter threatening to assassinate Trump and would “self-deport” to Mexico. The statement, which was also shared on the White House’s social media channels, included an image of the letter and a photo of Morales Reyes.
However, the story began to unravel after investigators interviewed Morales Reyes, who does not speak English fluently, and received a handwriting sample from him that differed from the handwriting in the letters, according to court filings.
Morales Reyes is named as a victim in the case involving Scott, who is being held in Milwaukee County Jail on charges of armed robbery and aggravated violence. The trial is slated for July.
Law enforcement agents listened to many calls Scott made from jail in which he discussed letters that needed to be addressed and a plan to have someone picked up by ICE so Scott’s trial could be canceled, according to the criminal complaint. He also confirmed to authorities that he composed the letters, according to the records.
Morales Reyes works as a dishwasher in Milwaukee, where he lives with his wife and three children. He just requested for a U visa, which is for persons in the country illegally who become victims of major crimes, according to attorney Kime Abduli, who filed the application.
Abduli told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Monday that she was relieved Morales Reyes had been absolved of any role in the letter-writing.
His deportation defense lawyer, Cain Oulahan, stated in an email Monday night that the first goal is now to gain Morales Reyes’ release from custody, with the next step being to pursue any relief he may be eligible for in immigration court.
“While he has a U visa pending, those are unfortunately backlogged for years, so we will be looking at other options to keep him here with his family, which includes his three US citizen children,” says Oulahan.