Carl D. Montague, a 37-year-old man from Providence, Rhode Island, has been indicted by a federal grand jury after allegedly threatening to assassinate former President Donald Trump and two of his senior aides. Despite the severity of the accusations and Montague’s history of violent behavior, he remains free under court-ordered monitoring.

The threats were made in a June 27 post on Truth Social under the handle “@tacoustic.” In a profanity-filled rant, Montague allegedly threatened to shoot Trump, former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, and former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. Trump Media flagged the post, prompting a Secret Service investigation.

Authorities quickly traced the account to Montague, and on June 30, FBI agents found him hiding in a bathtub. Before they could question him, he confessed to posting the threats. He claimed he was under the influence of marijuana, had deleted the account, and never intended real harm. However, prosecutors said his remorse was unconvincing.

Montague was released on a $10,000 bond on July 9 by U.S. Magistrate Judge Amy Moses, an Obama appointee. The DOJ strongly opposed the release, citing his violent past, including multiple assault convictions and repeated probation violations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dulce Donovan emphasized that Montague posed a continuing risk.

Following his release, Montague reportedly cursed at reporters outside court, further fueling concerns. Despite DOJ objections, U.S. District Judge Melissa R. DuBose, a Biden appointee, again declined to detain him, instead ordering GPS monitoring and a nighttime curfew.

Montague has yet to be arraigned on the indictment. If convicted, he faces federal prison time. Critics argue the lenient handling of the case reflects a troubling failure of the judicial system to take serious threats against public officials with appropriate urgency.