CASA GRANDE — A Casa Grande man convicted of threatening to kill President Donald Trump and former Vice President Kamala Harris awaits sentencing in federal court. A conviction carries up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. A federal jury found Rene Ortiz, 56, guilty of three felonies on June 8, 2026.
Casa Grande Man Convicted on Three Felony Counts
The jury returned guilty verdicts on two counts of making threats against successors to the presidency and one count of threats against former presidents. Additionally, a conviction carries up to three years of supervised release. Senior U.S. District Judge Stephen M. McNamee will impose the sentence.
Written Threats at Phoenix and Tucson Courthouses
Ortiz left the first written threat at the federal courthouse in Phoenix on Election Day, Nov. 5, 2024. Directed at both candidates, the note described shooting the newly elected president with an M-16A2 rifle. Then, on Nov. 25, 2024, he brought a second written threat to Tucson’s federal courthouse. That message threatened to shoot the incoming president at the Jan. 20, 2025 inauguration. During a later interview with Secret Service agents, he affirmed that he meant to make the threats. He was then arrested on Jan. 17, 2025, three days before the inauguration.
Sentencing Set for September Before Judge McNamee
The case now moves to sentencing. The Secret Service led the investigation, with the U.S. Marshals Service assisting. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Chang and Abbie Broughton are prosecuting the case in Phoenix. On Sept. 1, 2026, Judge McNamee will decide the punishment for the Casa Grande man.
