Metro Detroit man investigated for threats to 'blow Trump's brains out'

(WJBK) - James Jackson, 33, now faces federal charges after the United States Secret Service didn't have to look too hard to find him.

Investigators say 33-year-old James Jackson called the Detroit Secret Service field office directly saying, 'Better watch Donald Trump's ass, you (expletive) you all think someone (is) playing with your dumbass? I'm going blow white brains out.'

Another time, Jackson was allegedly more direct in his threats saying, 'I'm going to blow Trump's brains out.' All of which amounted to federal felonies in the eyes of the government.

"Every threat is taken seriously," says Greg Suhajda, a former secret service agent. "No matter how insignificant it may sound in the beginning."

Suhajda used to work secret service detail for President Bill Clinton and would often personally investigate death threats.

"An office like Detroit would get dozens in a month."

He says the secret service would get thousands of these threats a year and less than 20 percent would result in any action by the government.

Suhajda said while presidential death threats are common to investigate, it is not often we see them reach the level of unsealed federal charges, like what we are seeing with Jackson's case.

"In this case obviously it was deemed very severe," he said.

Court documents show Jackson would mask his phone number, but investigators found other ways to link him, playing recordings of his voice to his own family members for example.

"You are doing your homework, trying to find out as much as you can about this person whether its friends, families, associates, job, clubs, church, you name it."