Las Vegas Man Charged with Threats Against Government Officials

Las Vegas resident Spencer Gear, 32, has been charged with making threats to injure and kill government officials across multiple states, including those involved in former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial. Federal officials reported that Gear was arrested and has pleaded not guilty to 22 felony charges, which include threatening a federal official and transmitting threatening communications. His indictment, filed under seal in July, specifically mentions threats directed at Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and Judge Juan M. Merchan. U.S. Magistrate Judge Brenda Weksler ordered Gear to remain in federal custody, citing the alarming nature of the threats and the number of victims involved, which extend to New Jersey and Montana. A significant piece of evidence presented was a recorded message from June 3, which targeted both a judge and a district attorney. The judge expressed concern over the language used in the threats and indicated that a ruling on Gear's custody status would be made in September. Bragg’s office has reported a surge in threats since the Trump case began, with at least 56 actionable threats against Bragg and his staff, alongside nearly 500 threatening communications. These threats included bomb threats and messages explicitly stating intentions to kill. Judge Merchan has also faced numerous death threats, highlighting the heightened tensions surrounding the Trump legal proceedings. In a related incident, a 26-year-old New York man was charged in April for sending threats to Attorney General Letitia James and Judge Arthur Engoron, further illustrating the climate of intimidation surrounding the ongoing legal battles involving Trump.