A southeastern Kansas man faces two felony charges after he allegedly drove halfway across the country and told federal authorities he planned to kill President Joe Biden as part of a divine mission ordained by God.
Scott R. Merryman, a construction contractor from Independence, Kansas, is accused of threatening the President and a federal agent in a probable cause statement filed in the U.S. District of Maryland on Friday. Merryman is accused of making the threats this week over several phone calls and posts made to his Facebook account.
A criminal complaint drafted by the U.S. Secret Service points to Jan. 25 as the day Merryman informed officers in Independence, Kansas, of a trip he was making to Washington, D.C. Over the course of this week, Merryman allegedly spoke with at least two Secret Service agents about his plans, telling one he was “fed up with the divisiveness of this country” and that he was being guided by God.
Merryman was detained by a federal agent in the parking lot of a Cracker Barrel in Hagerstown, Maryland. A magazine with three live rounds was discovered on his person, but no firearm, court records state. A spotter scope was also allegedly found in his backpack.
Investigators reviewed a series of posts identified on Merryman’s Facebook page. The earlier posts discuss a journey to Washington, D.C. for the purpose of bringing about change across the U.S., then turn more targeted sights on the president.
“I believe Joe Biden is the AntiChrist now and he will suffer a fatal head wound. I’ll deal that blow in Christ’s name,” one of the messages says, adding: “I’m fighting for the Souls of this Great Nation.”
In a follow-up post that occurred after the encounter in Maryland, Merryman says his plan is to “jump a fence” when he arrives in Washington and “slay the Anti-Christ,” according to court records.
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