Ivers, formerly of West Fargo, has a history of similar threats. He was convicted in 2018 for threatening to kill a federal judge and served 18 months in federal prison. In 2022, he was accused of threatening to kill a U.S. official during a probation hearing.
The new charge comes during a tense period in Minnesota. It follows the June assassination of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, as well as the attempted assassination of Sen. John Hoffman and his family. It also comes one week after the Annunciation Catholic Church shooting, where two children were killed and 21 others were wounded. Investigators say Ivers’ manifesto included threats against children.
Authorities also noted that on August 28, one day after the Annunciation shooting, Ivers was reported for “abnormal behavior” at an Episcopal church in Minnetonka. Prosecutors said his writings fixated on federal judges who presided over his earlier trials and a former defense attorney. One passage read: “Mr. Ivers declares war on the entire United States Government… creating a horrific assassination guide to settle the score.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson condemned the threats in a statement: “Ivers’s threats are bone-chilling. After the past few months, we are not taking chances. When someone threatens our community, we believe them, and we will act swiftly to protect Minnesotans.”
Ivers is currently in federal custody. A preliminary and detention hearing is scheduled for Friday, September 12, according to court filings.
For more on federal threat statutes, visit the U.S. Code on Threats Against Federal Officials.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
Robert Ivers