A man who officials say traveled to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6 and threatened to shoot Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in the head on live television pleaded guilty Friday.
Cleveland Meredith Jr., 53, pleaded guilty to one count of interstate communication of threats because of a text message he sent to a relative on Jan. 7.
“Thinking about heading over to Pelosi … speech and putting a bullet in her noggin on Live TV,” it read, according to authorities, followed by a purple devil emoji.
He admitted to sending the text message in a plea deal but argued that it was “political hyperbole.”
Meredith planned to drive from Colorado to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6 to attend rallies in support of then-President Trump and his claims that the 2020 election was stolen but arrived in the nation’s capital too late because of car troubles, according to court documents.
He had a Tavor X95 rifle, a Glock 9mm handgun and roughly 2,500 rounds of ammunition with him, officials said.
Agents spoke with Meredith at his hotel in Washington on Jan. 7, and he agreed to let authorities search his room, his truck, a trailer and his telephone.
He was charged with interstate communication of threats, possession of unregistered firearms, possession of unregistered ammunition and possession of a large-capacity ammunition feeding device.
Prosecutors agreed to drop the three weapons charges when Meredith pleaded guilty to one count of interstate communication of threats.
In other text messages sent on Jan. 7 with the same relative, Meredith wrote, “I’m gonna run … Pelosi over while she chews on her gums,” according to court documents.
Meredith’s sentencing is set for Dec. 14. He faces up to 24 months in prison, according to The Washington Post. The final sentences will reportedly depend on if the judge believes there is evidence bolstering the belief that Meredith could have carried out his threat.
Meredith is still in custody as he awaits sentencing.
Meredith’s case is part of the federal investigation looking into the Jan. 6 attack, even though he was not at the Capitol for the riot, the Post noted.
He is the 65th of roughly 600 defendants charged to plead guilty in connection with the riot.