HSI Investigation Leads to Charges Against Man Who Threatened to Kill ICE Officers

If convicted, the suspect faces up to 10 years in prison and a $500,000 fine

WASHINGTON - The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement after an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) led to federal charges against a Tennessee man who threatened to kill ICE officers on social media.

On September 16, following an investigation by HSI Knoxville, a federal grand jury indicted David Kerr, a resident of Knoxville, Tennessee, on two counts of interstate threats. The charges stem from public posts he allegedly made on the social media platform BlueSky, which said "time to bear spray ICE" and "kill the ICE military police."

"This man publicly and shamelessly threatened the brave men and women of ICE on social media, calling for them to be injured and killed," said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. "Anyone who threatens federal law enforcement will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Thanks to HSI Knoxville and our partners at the Department of Justice, he is facing up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $500,000 if he's convicted. This violent rhetoric against our law enforcement must stop. DHS is calling on sanctuary politicians and their mouthpieces in the mainstream media to stop encouraging this hateful language before any more ICE officers are hurt, or worse, in the line of duty."

Kerr appeared in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee on September 21, entering a plea of not guilty. If convicted, he faces a total term of 10 years in prison. The maximum sentence for each violation is five years, and each charge also includes a maximum fine of $250,000 and a term of supervised release of up to three years. The trial is scheduled for November 24, 2026.

This indictment is the result of an investigation by HSI. Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Lewen, Jr. will represent the United States.

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