Mother of man accused of threatening Biden, Whitmer charged in purchases of firearms

The mother of a Michigan man accused of threatening President Biden and other prominent Democrats has been charged with making false statements when purchasing firearms later found in her son’s possession.

Prosecutors claim in charging documents unsealed Tuesday that Michelle Berka, 56, knowingly lied when she bought five guns and said they were for her, when really they were for someone else. The indictment does not say to whom Berka gave the firearms, but her son was arrested in March with four of the same guns.

Randall Berka II was charged earlier this year with illegally possessing firearms after having been involuntarily committed for mental health treatment in 2012 and deemed legally incapacitated, which barred him from possessing guns or ammunition.

He is also accused of making death threats on YouTube toward Biden, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) and members of the LGBTQ community. He allegedly wrote on social media that “biden deserves to die” and that he was “more than willing” to kill Whitmer.

The younger Berka also wrote, “we have to kill the politicians, theres nothing wrong with righteous violence and death,” according to the FBI.

In March, Randall Berka was ordered detained ahead of trial. A bond for $10,000 was set Tuesday for Michelle Berka.

Threats against public officials in Michigan have led to numerous arrests and headlines in recent years. In 2020, a plot to kidnap Whitmer was disrupted by the FBI, leading to nine convictions. Earlier this year, a Michigan man was charged with making death threats against Jewish government officials in the state.