Chicago-area man arrested for allegedly threatening violence at Biden’s inauguration

President-elect Joe Biden pauses as he delivers a televised address to the nation, after the U.S. Electoral College formally confirmed his victory over President Donald Trump in the 2020 U.S. presidential election, from Biden’s transition headquarters at the Queen Theater in Wilmington, Delaware, U.S., (December 14, 2020. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo)

by: WGN Web Desk and Nexstar Media Wire

Posted: Jan 15, 2021 / 08:30 PM AST

Updated: Jan 15, 2021 / 04:45 PM AST

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CHICAGO – An Illinois man was arrested Tuesday on a federal criminal charge for allegedly threatening to commit violence at the upcoming presidential inauguration in Washington D.C.

Louis Capriotti, 45, of Chicago Heights, a suburb of Chicago, has been charged with transmitting a threat in interstate commerce, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court.

Capriotti was arrested Tuesday morning at his home, authorities said. He is scheduled to make an initial court appearance at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.

The FBI believes Capriotti left a voicemail for a U.S. House member from New Jersey on Dec. 29.

In it, he allegedly stated that if certain individuals “think that Joe Biden is going to put his hand on the Bible and walk into that [expletive] White House on January 20th, they’re sadly [expletive] mistaken,” Capriotti further stated in the voicemail. “We will surround the [expletive] White House and we will kill any [expletive] Democrat that steps on the [expletive] lawn,” the complaint alleges.

Capriotti has a history of leaving profane voicemails for members of Congress, according to the criminal complaint.

The FBI’s Chicago Field Office led the investigation with assistance from U.S. Capitol Police.