A 42-year-old Michigan man has been arrested and charged with threatening to kill FBI Director Kash Patel and an unidentified associate, prompting a federal investigation that also uncovered additional alleged threats against FBI and Secret Service personnel.

Anthony Daniel Palazzolo of Chesterfield Township was arrested Friday, October 30, and charged with transmitting threatening communications across state lines, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced the charges alongside Jennifer Runyan, special agent in charge of the FBI's Detroit office.

According to the federal criminal complaint, Palazzolo sent a Facebook message to an associate of Patel on October 8 claiming he had "put a hit out" on the individual. He then allegedly added that Patel was "a dead mf too." The associate's identity has not been publicly disclosed.

FBI investigators reportedly traced Palazzolo through his Facebook and TikTok accounts to his residence in Chesterfield Township, approximately 30 miles north of Detroit. Agents visited his home on October 9 to question him about the messages.

During the interview, Palazzolo allegedly acknowledged sending the threats and apologized. He told investigators he did not intend to hurt anyone, according to the complaint. He also attempted to explain his actions by raising grievances about what he believed were violations of his property rights and complained that federal agencies had failed to adequately address his concerns.

The situation did not end with the FBI interview. Prosecutors allege that Palazzolo continued contacting a Detroit FBI agent and escalated his threats against federal officials. On October 12, he allegedly sent emails containing threats of sexual violence to the agent, a federal district court in Texas, the U.S. Secret Service and the Supreme Court.

The following day, Palazzolo allegedly left two voicemails threatening to visit the FBI's Detroit office and use deadly force against federal officials. In one message, he threatened FBI and Secret Service personnel, according to the criminal complaint.

The additional threats prompted investigators to continue examining his communications before his arrest. Federal authorities have not publicly identified the associate who received the original Facebook message.

Palazzolo appeared in federal court in Michigan on Friday, where a judge ordered him temporarily detained. He did not enter a plea, and a detention hearing was scheduled for Monday, November 2.

The charge of transmitting threatening interstate communications is a federal felony. A conviction could carry a prison sentence of up to five years. The criminal complaint contains allegations that have not yet been proven in court, and Palazzolo is presumed innocent unless convicted.

The case comes amid heightened attention to threats against federal officials and government personnel. FBI Director Kash Patel and other senior officials have faced threats during President Donald Trump's second administration, requiring federal investigators and law enforcement agencies to assess and respond to potential attacks.