KNOXVILLE, TN. A Knoxville man is facing federal charges after he allegedly posted a series of videos and messages online threatening to kill President Donald Trump, FBI Director Kash Patel, Knox County Sheriff Tom Spangler, and Knoxville Police Chief Paul Noel.
Garry Lee Williams, 44, of Knoxville, was arrested on July 16, 2026, by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation on a complaint involving the interstate transmission of threats to kill public officials.
What the Charges Involve
According to his arrest warrant and supporting documents, Williams is accused of threatening to kill President Trump, FBI Director Kash Patel, Knoxville Police Chief Paul Noel, and Knox County Sheriff Tom Spangler in posts and videos shared on social media.
Investigators say the threats were repeated rather than a single isolated post. Federal agents say he posted repeated TikTok videos containing the threats before he was taken into custody. The complaint cites a federal statute covering the transmission of threats across state lines through electronic communication.
Court Appearance and What Comes Next
Williams had his initial appearance on Friday, July 17, 2026, in the United States District Court in Knoxville, before Magistrate Judge Debra C. Poplin.
The next scheduled hearing is a preliminary hearing set for August 25, 2026, at 1:30 p.m., also before Judge Poplin. A trial date has not yet been set and will be scheduled later in the case.
Court records reviewed by local outlets show Williams has a prior record. Knox County’s online court reporting system lists Williams as homeless and shows he pleaded guilty in 2002 to charges of aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, and theft.
Part of a Wider Pattern of Threat Cases
Williams is not the only person federal authorities have charged this week over threats made against Trump or his family online.
William Upham, 35, a former Marine and Republican write-in congressional candidate from Jacksonville, Florida, was charged with threatening the president after posting videos calling Trump “the enemy” and saying he must be killed. James Gerald Eckert Jr., 39, of Rochester, New York, was also arrested this week and charged with threatening to kill, kidnap, or harm a member of the president’s immediate family after leaving threatening comments on Donald Trump Jr.’s podcast.
All three cases carry a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
Federal prosecutors have shown increased attention to threats against public officials made through social media platforms in recent months, and cases like these are typically handled by local U.S. Attorney’s offices working alongside the FBI. No additional charges against Williams have been announced beyond the current complaint, and the case remains open as it moves toward the preliminary hearing next month.
