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Cleveland Meredith, a North Carolina man pardoned by President Donald Trump for his involvement in the January 6 Capitol riot, was arrested on Monday for allegedly threatening federal judges. According to federal prosecutors, Meredith made several threatening posts on social media, including one in April that stated, "All J6 federal judges will be executed." The posts originated in Georgia, where prosecutors said they "constituted a true threat under the circumstances."
Meredith, who previously pleaded guilty to threatening to shoot then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was sentenced to 28 months in prison before being pardoned by President Trump in January 2025. Despite the pardon, Meredith's social media activity continued to attract law enforcement attention. The FBI began investigating after receiving an online tip about the threats, citing Meredith's "history of violent online rhetoric."
In addition to the threats against judges, Meredith allegedly posted about the need to be on the right team going into the midterms, warning that "firing squads will commence" on November 4. Federal prosecutors are using these election-related posts to argue that Meredith poses an ongoing danger to the community.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is prosecuting the new case. A federal judge is expected to decide on Thursday whether Meredith should remain in custody as the case proceeds.