DENVER — A federal judge has ordered a Colorado resident to be held in detention after being charged for threatening House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
FBI agents arrested Cleveland Grover Meredith Jr. a week ago inside a hotel room at a Washington, DC Holiday Inn, according to an arrest warrant.
Meredith gave consent for agents to search his phone, where they found text messages threatening to put "a bullet in her [Pelosi's] noggin on Live TV," court documents say. Agents also found a Glock 19, a pistol, a Tavor X95 assault rifle and hundreds of rounds of ammunition inside his camper-style trailer, which was seized.
Meredith told agents he traveled to Washington from Colorado.
Meredith was charged with transmitting a threat in interstate commerce, possession of an unregistered firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition.
In a memorandum in support of pretrial detention, federal prosecutors argued Meredith should remain in jail while his case is pending for reasons including drug use, mental illness, the amount of evidence against Meredith and the nature and circumstances of the charges. Federal prosecutors said Meredith is a danger to the community.
Meredith's federal public defender argued he should be released because he's not a serious flight risk, has had no previous convictions and hasn't been charged with a crime of violence.
A federal judge ultimately denied the motion for Meredith to be released. A preliminary hearing is set for Jan. 28.
