A man accused of threatening to kill Maricopa County Sheriff Jerry Sheridan in a series of online posts also ranted about the FBI and sought "full presidential immunity" from President Donald Trump, according to arrest records.
Jose Angel Valadez appeared to blame Sheridan for the death of his father as part of a conspiracy in which he sought a pardon from Trump for threats, according to posts on the social media platform X, previously known as Twitter.
Valadez, 30, was arrested July 1 on suspicion of threatening and intimidating and use of an electronic device to threaten. He was being held on a $2,500 bond at the Lower Buckeye Jail, court records showed.
Valadez made "unusual posts directed towards Sheriff Jerry Sheridan as well as the president of the United States, the FBI and Bill Gates," in June, the Maricopa Sheriff's Office Threat Management Unit said.
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Those included a declaration of war on Sheridan that later escalated into actual threats on July 1, according to arrest records.
A man accused of threatening to kill Maricopa County Sheriff Jerry Sheridan posted unusual messages on social media, including seeking a pardon from President Trump, records show.
"Get Jerry out before I kill his (expletive) ass for letting. The cartel take over Arizona and kill my dad," according to a July 1 post cited in arrest records. "Jerry I'm not going to let you ruin this country anymore. I'm going to stop you Jerry mark my words."
Valadez was arrested at Central Arizona Shelter Services near 15th Avenue and Madison Street in Phoenix. The shelter provides temporary housing for people experiencing homelessness.
Valadez appears to have made other unusual posts in June and July. A Facebook account with his name and a photo similar to his mug shot made back-to-back posts featuring posters for missing children across the United States.
"The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office enforces the rule of law without exception and will not tolerate threats or violence against elected officials, delivering swift and decisive consequences to anyone who attempts to intimidate this agency or its personnel," a spokesperson for the Sheriff's Office said in a statement.
