A 23-year-old former National Guardsman stationed in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to six months in federal prison for making a direct threat to assassinate then-Vice President Mike Pence. William R. Dunbar, of Berlin, Pa., didn’t mince words: three witnesses heard him say he would kill the Vice President ahead of Pence’s scheduled visit to the area in September 2017.
Dunbar made the threat while on active military duty at the Armory in Johnstown on Sept. 8, 2017. The Vice President was set to arrive in the city just three days later, on Sept. 11. The threat was reported immediately, triggering a swift and serious response from federal law enforcement. The U.S. Secret Service launched a full investigation, quickly amassing witness statements and military records that placed Dunbar squarely at the center of the case.
U.S. District Judge Kim R. Gibson handed down the sentence in federal court, ordering six months of incarceration followed by six months of home detention with electronic monitoring. Dunbar must also undergo an immediate mental health evaluation and enter a treatment program, a condition reflecting the disturbing nature of the threat and concerns about his psychological state at the time.
Convicted on a single federal count of making a threat against the Vice President of the United States, Dunbar will serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his jail and home detention terms. The charge carries significant weight under federal law, designed to protect high-ranking officials from credible threats to their lives—regardless of whether the threat is carried out.
The prosecution was led by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie L. Haines, who argued that Dunbar’s words were specific, intentional, and dangerous. “This wasn’t idle talk heard in a bar,” Haines stated in court. “This was a uniformed service member, on duty, declaring his intent to assassinate the second-highest official in the nation. That’s not free speech—that’s a federal crime.”
U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady praised the Secret Service’s rapid response and thorough investigation, calling it essential to the case’s successful prosecution. “Protecting elected leaders is not just a duty—it’s a cornerstone of democracy,” Brady said. “We take every threat seriously, especially one made by someone entrusted with a uniform and a weapon.”
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Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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