x
Breaking News
More () »

Man Charged For Alleged Threats Against The President

CLARKS SUMMIT — A man from Lackawanna County has been indicted on federal charges for threatening to kill President Obama. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said...

CLARKS SUMMIT -- A man from Lackawanna County has been indicted on federal charges for threatening to kill President Obama.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said a man from Clarks Summit sent that threat in an email to the White House last month, just one week before the president made a stop in Scranton.

Neighbors in the quiet Clarks Summit community recalled seeing plenty of police presence at this apartment on August 23, the very same day President Obama was visiting Scranton.

“The vans were there with the SWAT Team, and I think the Secret Service was there, I’m not positive,” said Rita Kircher.

Now the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Nicholas Savino, 42, who lived at an apartment on Melrose Avenue in Clarks Summit, is facing federal charges for threatening to kill the president.

“I was shocked, yeah, I was really shocked, it’s a quiet neighborhood,” said Kircher.

“There are a lot of kids in this neighborhood too, so to have someone like that in a neighborhood of a lot of kids and families, it’s really different. It’s really interesting that we had something like that here,” said Tim Rozelle.

According to federal prosecutors, Savino sent an e-mail to the White House on August 16, allegedly writing “President Obama the Anti-Christ. As a result of breaking the constitution you will stand down or be shot dead.”

Neighbor Rita Kircher believes Savino moved to the area this summer and said she ran into him occasionally.

“We saw the guy a couple of times, he talked to us and asked us earlier in the summer if there were any fairs in the area and stuff and saw him with his dog, and he was out there with his motorcycle and stuff,” said Kircher.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said if found guilty, the maximum penalty Savino faces is five years in prison.

Before You Leave, Check This Out