DENVER—A federal judge has scheduled an arraignment on drug charges for a man suspected of making racist threats against Barack Obama.
Tharin Gartrell, 28, appeared in court Tuesday on a methamphetamine possession charge. He waived his right to a preliminary hearing.
Gartrell was arrested in the Denver suburb of Aurora one day before the Democratic convention. Authorities say he was driving a truck containing rifles, a bulletproof vest, wigs and fake IDs, and that Gartrell and two others had talked about killing Obama.
The U.S. attorney later said the men were drug users who made racist threats but had no firm assassination plot and no ability to carry one out. No one has been charged in relation to the alleged threats.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Hegarty said Gartrell could be released to a halfway house in the federal case, but the U.S. attorney’s office said in a written release he would likely remain in custody because of a separate probation violation allegation in Denver.
Details of that case were not immediately available and a spokesman for federal prosecutors didn’t immediately return a call.
Gartrell’s arraignment is scheduled for Sept. 12.
The two other men arrested in the case are Shawn Adolf and Nathan Johnson. Both face federal firearms and drug charges. Federal prosecutors said neither is expected to appear in court this week.
