South Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Posting Online Threats Against Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Kristi Noem

MIAMI – A Miami man pleaded guilty Friday to posting online threats targeting Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Department of State Special Envoy Kristi Noem. According to court records, Jon Christopher Enriquez, 47, of Miami, used the social media platform X to post multiple public threats targeting Secretary Rubio and Special Envoy Noem on May 27. The threats were made in three separate public posts over the course of the afternoon. Among other things, the posts threatened that both officials would be executed at specific times. “Threatening to execute public officials is not political speech, it is a federal crime,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Enriquez used a public platform to issue repeated, specific threats against Secretary Rubio and Special Envoy Noem. Today’s guilty plea makes clear that those who attempt to terrorize public servants or intimidate them through threats of violence will be swiftly identified, prosecuted, and held accountable.” “Threatening a Secretary of State or any senior State Department official is a serious federal offense,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Diplomatic Security and Director of the Diplomatic Security Service Nicholas Collura. “Protecting the people who serve this country is our highest priority, and we will not hesitate to act against anyone who threatens their safety.” Enriquez pleaded guilty to three counts of transmitting threats through interstate communications. He faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Diplomatic Security Service is investigating the case, with assistance from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the City of Miami Police Department, and the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Y. Carré is prosecuting the case. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 26-cr-20239. ###