Cleveland Meredith, a North Carolina man pardoned by President Donald Trump for participating in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, was arrested on Monday over alleged threats to kill the federal judges who presided over his and other cases arising from the riot.
According to the complaint, Meredith posted on Facebook in April 2026 a message that allegedly read: “ALL J6 Federal JUDGES will be EXECUTED!” Then last month, according to the government, he posted several threatening and concerning messages calling for violence following the midterm elections, including “Make damn sure you're on the right team going into the midterms/… firing squads will commence 11/04/26.” Another post noted in the complaint read “The midterms will be an absolute MASSACRE.”
Federal prosecutors in Georgia, where the messages were sent, said in the complaint that the message “expressly threatened execution” and “constituted a true threat under the circumstances.” The complaint cited Meredith's history of violent online rhetoric and alleged he sent the April post “for the purpose of issuing a threat,” knowing it would be viewed as a threat or consciously disregarding a substantial risk that it would be.
Meredith was pardoned as part of a mass executive clemency order covering nearly 1,600 individuals charged or convicted of seditious conspiracy over their participation in the assault on the Capitol, on Trump's first day back in office in 2025. In December 2021, Meredith was sentenced to 28 months after pleading guilty to a charge involving a threat to shoot then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Prosecutors said he had traveled to Washington on January 6 but arrived late due to car trouble, missing the confrontation.
The FBI had previously interviewed Meredith in July 2025 after he was referred for making a threat to an unnamed individual. According to the government, he "acknowledged making them but denied they were threatening in nature." Prosecutors said Meredith has been threatening and harassing individuals online for at least 16 months.
Before the riot, Meredith ran Car Nutz, an Atlanta-area car-wash business, which attracted controversy in 2018 for a billboard linking itself to QAnon. He told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “We all support freedom and independent thought.”
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The case highlights concerns about pardoned January 6 defendants reoffending with violent threats.
- Threats against federal judges strike at the core of the judicial system and could deter future prosecutions.
- The posts targeting midterm elections indicate potential political violence ahead of elections.
Background
Cleveland Meredith was one of roughly 1,600 individuals charged in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol who received a presidential pardon from Donald Trump. He was initially convicted for threatening to shoot Nancy Pelosi and sentenced to 28 months. After his release, he ran a car-wash business associated with QAnon. He was arrested again in November 2026 over threats to judges.
Key Perspectives
Federal prosecutors: argue that Meredith's Facebook posts constitute a true threat, and that he knowingly sent them with the purpose of issuing a threat.
Cleveland Meredith: acknowledged making the threats, but denied they were threatening in nature, according to the government.
What to Watch
- Court proceedings on the new charges, including whether Meredith will be detained or released.
- Whether other pardoned January 6 defendants face similar charges for reoffending.
- Implications for election security given the threatening posts referencing midterms.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedMeredith, a pardoned January 6 participant, was charged over alleged threats to kill federal judges.World news | The Guardian: “Pardoned January 6 participant charged over alleged threats to kill federal judges.”
- SupportedThe government said Meredith posted messages calling for violence following the midterm elections.World news | The Guardian: “Then last month, according to the government, Meredith posted “several threatening and concerning messages calling for violence following the midterm elections””
- SupportedMeredith, from North Carolina, was arrested on Monday over a Facebook post allegedly threatening the judges who presided over his and other riot-related cases.World news | The Guardian: “Cleveland Meredith, from North Carolina, was arrested on Monday over a Facebook post in April that allegedly read: “ALL J6 Federal JUDGES will be EXECUTED!””
- SupportedThe April Facebook post allegedly read, “ALL J6 Federal JUDGES will be EXECUTED!”World news | The Guardian: “a Facebook post in April that allegedly read: “ALL J6 Federal JUDGES will be EXECUTED!””
- SupportedOne midterm-related post said, “Make damn sure you’re on the right team going into the midterms/… firing squads will commence 11/04/26.”World news | The Guardian: “including: “Make damn sure you’re on the right team going into the midterms/… firing squads will commence 11/04/26.””
- SupportedAnother post said, “The midterms will be an absolute MASSACRE.”World news | The Guardian: “Another post, noted in the complaint, reads: “The midterms will be an absolute MASSACRE.””
- SupportedFederal prosecutors in Georgia said in the complaint that the message “expressly threatened execution” and “constituted a true threat under the circumstances.”World news | The Guardian: “Federal prosecutors in the Georgia, from where the messages was sent, said in the complaint that the message “expressly threatened execution” and “constituted a true threat under the circumstances”.”
- SupportedThe complaint alleged Meredith sent the April post to issue a threat, knowing it would be viewed as one or consciously disregarding a substantial risk it would be.World news | The Guardian: “alleging that he did so for “the purpose of issuing a threat, with knowledge that his post would be viewed as a threat, or while consciously disregarding a substantial risk that his post would be viewed as a threat””
- SupportedTrump pardoned Meredith on his first day back in office in 2025 as part of an order covering nearly 1,600 people charged or convicted of seditious conspiracy over their participation in the Capitol assault.World news | The Guardian: “On his first day back in office in 2025, Trump pardoned Meredith as part of a mass executive clemency order covering nearly 1,600 individuals charged or convicted of seditious conspiracy over their participation in the assault.”
- SupportedMeredith was sentenced to 28 months in December 2021 after pleading guilty to a charge involving a threat to shoot Pelosi.World news | The Guardian: “In December 2021, Meredith was sentenced to 28 months after pleading guilty to a charge involving a threat he made to shoot Pelosi.”
- SupportedProsecutors said Meredith was referred to the FBI in July 2025 over a threat to an unnamed individual and was interviewed by the bureau.World news | The Guardian: “He had been referred to the FBI in July 2025 for making a threat to an unnamed individual, prosecutors said, and was interviewed by the bureau.”
- SupportedProsecutors said Meredith had been threatening and harassing people and institutions online for at least the last 16 months.World news | The Guardian: ““The Defendant has been threatening and harassing individuals and institutions online for at least the last sixteen months,” they said in a motion to hold Meredith in detention.”