DENVER—A Colorado man suspected of making racist threats against Barack Obama limped into federal court on crutches Thursday and was formally advised of a methamphetamine charge against him.
Therin Gartrell, 28, was arrested in suburban Aurora last weekend just before the Democratic convention in Denver. Authorities said they found rifles, a bulletproof vest, wigs and fake IDs in a rented truck he was driving, and that Gartrell and two other men had talked about killing Obama.
The U.S. attorney’s office later said the men were drug users making racists threats, and that they had no firm assassination plot and no ability to carry one out. No one has been charged in relation to the alleged threats.
A spokesman for the U.S. attorney could not say why Gartrell was on crutches. Aurora police say he was using crutches when he was arrested.
Gartrell was handcuffed to the crutches and spoke little, answering the judge with “Yes, your honor” and “No, your honor.” He did not enter a plea.
Public defender Ed Harris was appointed to represent him. Harris was not present and did not immediately respond to a telephone message.
Arapahoe County prosecutors had planned to charge Gartrell Thursday with state drug and weapons violations, but that was put on hold without explanation.
U.S. attorney’s spokesman Jeff Dorschner said it was “best from a coordination standpoint” if the cases against Gartrell and the two other men were in federal court.
State prosecutors sometimes defer to their federal counterparts if a suspect can get a stiffer sentence in federal court.
A federal conviction for methamphetamine possession carries a prison term of up to two years with no time off for good behavior. Penalties under the state charges were not immediately available.
The two other men arrested in the case are Shawn Adolf and Nathan Johnson. Both face federal firearms and drug charges. Dorschner said neither is expected to appear in court this week.
