A 21-year-old Ohio man is behind bars after federal investigators say he used social media to issue explicit threats against Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and pro-Trump Americans, triggering a months-long investigation that ended with a raid, multiple weapons seized, and a criminal case that could put him in prison for more than a decade.
The Justice Department announced Thursday that Justin Mesael Novoa was arrested and charged with threatening to assault or murder a federal law enforcement officer and for transmitting threats across state lines. Authorities say Novoa used an anonymous account on X to post violent messages targeting ICE agents and what he called “retarded maga maggots,” language that immediately raised alarms inside federal law enforcement.
According to court documents, one of the posts appeared on November 9, 2025, when the account allegedly wrote, “can’t wait to shoot these p*ssy ice agents and retarded maga maggots.” Earlier posts from June were even more direct, allegedly stating that “they should blast every ice agent they find” and claiming that ICE agents in “masked, unmarked vehicles, no badge or id” gave citizens “every legal right to shoot these p*ssies.”
Federal agents took the threats seriously. On December 16, a Homeland Security Investigations agent served a summons on X, demanding information connected to the anonymous account. The platform complied, turning over an email address and phone number that investigators traced back to Novoa.
BREAKING: Justin Mesael Novoa was arrested in Ohio, after allegedly posting threats to kill ICE agents—“can’t wait to shoot these p***y ice agents.”
They found firearms, ammo, body armor, and helmets.
Of course, he has a Palestinian flag hanging up on his wall. pic.twitter.com/bR2J6BVjlq
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) January 23, 2026
Just days later, on December 20, agents executed a search warrant at Novoa’s home. What they found added weight to the online threats. According to the Justice Department, the search uncovered two rifles, two shotguns, a handgun, ammunition, helmets, a plate carrier, and a Palestinian flag.
During the search, Novoa allegedly admitted the account was his. “Alright, you got me. That was me,” he told agents, according to the criminal complaint. When investigators confirmed the X account’s identity, Novoa reportedly added, “Damn, so Elon does give you access to that,” a comment that prosecutors included in their filing.
The complaint also outlines a disturbing pattern of extremist rhetoric tied to the account. Investigators say it regularly posted anti-white and anti-Jewish statements, including praise for Adolf Hitler and calls for mass violence. Among the cited posts were claims such as “hitler should have finished the job,” “lets give it back and kill every white person except for the white women,” and “may the resistance stand tall and wipe out these filthy jews.” Another post allegedly read, “id join hamas too. these filthy f***king subhuman rats deserve to be gassed and executed.”
Justin Mesael Novoa (21) of Columbus, Ohio, was federally charged with making threatening interstate communications, including threats to assault or murder federal law enforcement officers on January 22, 2026,
The charges stem from posts made on the social media platform X under… pic.twitter.com/jiKxgGx4HQ
— SubX.News® (@SubxNews) January 23, 2026
Federal prosecutors argue the volume, tone, and specificity of the posts demonstrate credible threats, not just online trolling. Novoa is currently being held by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office as the case moves forward.
If convicted on all charges, Novoa could face more than 10 years in federal prison. His case will be heard by Magistrate Judge Kimberly Jolson and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Prichard. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for February 5.
The arrest underscores the federal government’s increasingly aggressive posture toward online threats, particularly those targeting law enforcement. What began as anonymous rage posts on social media has now escalated into a serious federal prosecution, with real prison time on the line.
