Michigan man gets 30 months for his bad Reddit posts

A Michigan resident will serve 30 months in federal prison for threatening to murder conservative Christians with an assault rifle before the 2024 presidential election. Isaac Sissel, age 26, admitted guilt in April to sending threats across state lines through internet channels. Federal prosecutors from the Eastern District of Michigan announced the sentence on Monday.

Sissel established Reddit profiles with names such as ShootUpTrumpRally and PlanningToKillTrump before submitting an anonymous FBI tip on Nov. 2, 2024. His message warned of attacks against conservative Christian filth if Trump secured victory. The threat arrived two days before a Michigan Trump rally and three days before voters were scheduled to cast their ballots. Authorities noted the timing came four months after an AR-style weapon was used in a shooting at a Trump event.

Federal agents discovered no firearms in Sissel's possession despite his claims of owning a stolen AR-15. His felony record barred him from legal gun ownership. The court added a hate crime enhancement after determining that religious bias motivated his threats. The FBI Detroit Joint Terrorism Task Force and Ann Arbor Resident Agency handled the investigation.