Buffalo man arrested for threatening president, candidates

A 21-year-old man from the Buffalo-area has been charged with threatening the president, a former president and major presidential candidates.

Joseph Conrad Goode, of Cheektowaga, New York, was arrested and charged April 7. Agents with the Secret Service received information that he threatened to injure or kill President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton, and the leading presidential candidates.

According to the criminal complaint, the Buffalo Secret Service field office received a tip from medical personnel at the Erie County Medical Center about Goode’s threats. The staff said they heard Goode make numerous statements, including:

  • He was going to get a “high powered rifle and kill all the presidential candidates,” and that he “is the kind of person ready to snap and shoot up a public place.”
  • “Bill Clinton is only a couple hours away and I am going to fucking kill him along with Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and all of the FBI,” he said, adding that he had a sniper rifle and was going to get it when he got out of ECMC.
  • ECMC Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program personnel heard him talking about wanting to kill Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.
  • He desired to acquire a long range sniper rifle and kill the presidential candidates because he wants to “see the world burn.”
  • He was going to kill President Obama and Donald Trump.
  • He wanted to acquire a high powered rifle and kill Bill Clinton, Ted Cruz and Donald Trump.

He told agents during an interview that he did make the statements. “I felt like killing Trump, I felt like killing Clinton, I felt like killing Sanders, but I said it out of anger,” he said, according to the criminal complaint.

Presidential candidates were scheduled to campaign in Buffalo between April 8 and April 11.

If convicted, Goode could face up to five years in jail and a $250,000 fine.

Latest Reviews

revolver barrel loading graphic

Loading