Chicago man charged with threatening to 'hunt' secret service agent

CHICAGO - A Chicago man was charged after allegedly threatening to "shoot up" a U.S. Secret Service office and "hunt" a federal agent last month.

Michael Kovco, 29, was charged with transmitting a threat in interstate commerce. 

The backstory:

According to a criminal complaint unsealed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Kovco sent a message through the official White House website on March 19 threatening to target a Secret Service agent and the agent’s family.

"I’m gonna hunt the secret service agent that comes to my door’s family so he better not tell me any identifying information at all like first or last name or pet name or address or place of work because im going to buy a small concealable firearm and go shoot up his place of work immediately if he tells me anything," the message read.

The message came about two hours after agents visited Kovco’s Chicago home to investigate an earlier threat he allegedly sent on March 17, authorities said. 

That prior message, also submitted through the White House website, included threats against President Donald Trump and his son Barron. 

Kovco was arrested April 3 and is scheduled to appear in federal court for a detention hearing. Prosecutors said they will seek to keep him in custody pending trial.

What they're saying:

"As I have stated repeatedly during my first year as United States Attorney, it is never acceptable to threaten a law enforcement officer, political figure, or a member of their family," said U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros. "Under my watch, political violence will be dealt with as the serious federal crime that it is."

What's next:

If convicted, Kovco could be sentenced to a maximum of five years in federal prison.