RALEIGH, NC – A Raleigh man will spend more than two years in federal prison after admitting to making violent online threats to kill then-President Joseph Biden and later threatening to kill a U.S. Secret Service agent who came to question him.
Michael James Ferr, 31, was sentenced Friday to 27 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
He pleaded guilty on August 19 to federal charges of threatening the president and a federal officer.
According to court documents, Ferr posted a series of death threats on X.com, formerly Twitter, on January 10. When Secret Service agents visited his home four days later to investigate, Ferr threatened to kill one of them during the interview.
Federal response to violent threats
U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle for the Eastern District of North Carolina said Ferr’s 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.” Boyle added that his office “will continue to defend the safety of our public officials and stand firmly behind law enforcement officers.”
Meghan Dubea, Resident Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Raleigh office, said the case “highlights the dangers our public officials face every day,” and praised the coordination between the Secret Service, the Raleigh Police Department, and federal prosecutors.
Online threats lead to criminal charges
Investigators testified that Ferr’s social media posts contained direct threats toward then-President Biden, leading to immediate federal involvement. Agents documented the statements, obtained warrants, and confronted Ferr within days of the posts. During questioning, Ferr repeated his violent statements, leading to additional charges.
Court imposes prison term
A federal judge in Raleigh handed down the 27-month sentence after reviewing the severity of the threats and Ferr’s conduct during the investigation. Following his release, Ferr will remain under federal supervision for three years.
Officials emphasized that the case serves as a warning that online threats against national leaders or law enforcement are criminal acts that carry serious prison penalties.
