Prosecutors: Man threatened Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, vowed to kill kids
An Alabama man with a history of mental illness is accused of threatening to “destroy” President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, and kill the children of U.S. officials. Deryke Matthew Pfeifer also used Facebook to video himself in a hotel room with two handguns as he berated a federal judge and threatened to kill anyone who tried to arrest him, prosecutors said. Pfeifer was indicted this month on a federal charge of being a felon in possession of ammunition and ordered to undergo a mental health exam. In a Facebook video recorded in a south Alabama hotel room, Pfeifer names employees of the Secret Service and U.S. Attorney’s office and vows to slay their children, authorities said. He said, “I promise you I will kill your children and put a bounty on your children,” a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives wrote in a criminal complaint. A loaded Ruger LCP .380 handgun was found in his vehicle, and three types of ammunition were found in the hotel room, a federal agent wrote in court documents. Pfeifer underwent an earlier mental health exam in 2014, after the U.S. Secret Service accused him of threatening to kill then-President Barack Obama and blow up a federal building in Jackson, Michigan, court records state. Pfeifer told a Secret Service special agent in 2014 that “he often channels God’s words in his videos on Facebook,” the agent wrote in a sworn affidavit. Pfeifer was diagnosed with delusional disorder. He has also been diagnosed with paranoid personality disorder, which involves pervasive distrust and suspicion of others, court records state. After lengthy mental health evaluations, Pfeifer appeared to be much better, his lawyer in the 2014 case told court officials. In a telephone call, “he presented himself in a very calm manner, appeared to be doing quite well, was not delusional during our conversation (as he has been in the past), had normal speech and presented that he was doing well with no problems to report,” Montgomery lawyer Richard Keith wrote to court officials in late January. “While he has not been compliant with mental health treatment, there does not appear to be any adverse problems without it,” Keith stated. The probation department and prosecutors then agreed to release Pfeifer and the case was closed, according to a Feb. 1 order from U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson. Pfeifer is charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition since he was convicted of robbery and drug dealing in McLean County, Illinois, in the mid-1990s, authorities said. Pfeifer has been ordered to undergo another mental health exam following his recent indictment on the ammunition charge and the complaint accusing him of threatening Trump and Putin. His attorney in the current case did not immediately respond to telephone and email messages from The Associated Press on Tuesday. Republished with the Permission of the Associated Press.
Another chance to talk about mental health
Today’s World Mental Health Day, as if I needed another reason to write or talk about the challenges we face as a society and as a state addressing mental health care. From mental health care funding and destigmatizing the issues, we have got to do better. I encourage you on this day to look around you, and speak up, and talk about your own issues, issues that have affected your friends/family. Go and call and check in on a friend who you know has been struggling. If you have the resources to donate to cause that supports mental illness, do that. If you have children, I urge you to take a minute to check in on them and talk to them about mental illness, depression, anxiety, bullying, happiness and all of the things we sometimes take for granted or ignore. Today is a day like every other day where there are people around us suffering in silence. Suffering themselves. Suffering because they are the primary care givers for a loved one who has untreated mental illness or possibly mental illness that is being treated but still causes them a lot of stress and anxiety. We have a long way to go in our country in the way in which we address issues of the mind and illness we can’t see and don’t understand. We have a long way to go as a state in the way that we fund treatment. I urge you, or remind you, to check out the resources below if you need help. And to take a moment and do your part and help change the way we talk about this issue. National Alliance for Mental Health: NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. Alabama Department of Mental Health: Promoting the health and well-being of Alabamians with mental illnesses, developmental disabilities and substance use disorders Crisis Center of Birmingham: Mission is to serve the unmet needs of people experiencing personal crisis or mental health issues and respond with services that promote coping, emotional health and well-being. Our primary service area is Central Alabama, which is defined as the five county area surrounding Birmingham. This includes Blount County, Jefferson County, St. Clair County, Shelby County and Walker County.
Judge Wes Allen: Mental health is vital part of overall health
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Mental health is a vital part of overall health. As Probate Judge of Pike County I interact weekly with families, various agencies, doctors and hospitals that seek to help those who suffer from mental illnesses. Mental illness effects many people throughout our state, so it is important to me and all probate judges throughout the state of Alabama to bring awareness to mental health. Research indicates 1 in 4 adults experience mental health issues in a given year. Research also suggest that 1 in 17 people live with major depression, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Chronic mental illness can begin as early as the age of 14. Identifying the symptoms is the key. A problem that has been pinpointed would be the lengthy delays − occasionally decades − between the time symptoms first surface and when the individuals receive treatment. Everyone should learn symptoms of mental illness. A great resource is the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) which offers information at their website www.nami.org and HelpLine: 1-800-950-NAMI (6264). There are free education courses offered by NAMI for individuals and families affected by mental illness. It is important to me to assist people to identify the early symptoms of mental illness. I encourage our communities to help end the silence and stigma around mental illness that discourages people from getting assistance. By working together we can make a significant positive impact in our communities.
