Background: Marion County Superior Court in Indianapolis, Indiana (Google Maps). Inset: Preston Pickett (Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department).
An Indiana man's fate has been sealed for threatening to "kill many illegals" on President Donald Trump's inauguration via a series of TikTok posts.
Preston Pickett, 59, pleaded guilty to threatening to commit terrorism, Marion County court records reviewed by Law&Crime show. He was subsequently sentenced to two years in prison, though after credit for time served, he will remain in jail for less than a year.
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The case began on Jan. 12, when the FBI notified the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department of a man in their jurisdiction making threats on TikTok, the Marion County Prosecutor's Office announced. Pickett was vowing to kill illegal immigrants with the backdrop of Trump returning to office.
"I will shoot on sight I don't check IDs so you all are illegal too me," Pickett wrote, per court documents obtained by local Fox affiliate WXIN. "I will kill many illegals on January 20," he added.
Pickett did not stop there. "I will have my kills on the first day Trump takes office," read another post to his account, authorities said. "I will be famous for killing the most illegals in one day," stated another.
Law enforcement tracked the account's IP address and email to Pickett, and they responded to a home in Southport to speak with him. As they did, he ran outside, screaming, "police were complicit with the illegals in this country," according to Indianapolis-based NBC affiliate WTHR.
A detective then told him they were there to investigate the threats. Pickett reportedly responded by asking whether he "had the right to exercise his Second Amendment against foreign and domestic terrorists." The officer said no.
Pickett's cellphone and two guns were confiscated, and as part of his plea agreement, they were ordered to be destroyed.
The man had reportedly made threats before. In March 2024, he reportedly threatened to shoot up a Florida car wash, and in November 2023, the Marion County Prosecutor's Office received an anonymous threat from a phone registered to Pickett claiming he would use a rifle to shoot employees while they walked to their vehicles, per WTHR.
