2 Men Charged With Making Threats on Social Media to ICE Agent, Wife

Two men have been charged by a federal grand jury with making threats against an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer and his wife on social media, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has revealed.

Melanie Sun

Published: 10/8/2025, 2:24:51 PM EDT

2 Men Charged With Making Threats on Social Media to ICE Agent, Wife — The badge of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Hawthorne, Calif., on March 1, 2020. (Lucy Nicholson/Reuters)

Frank Andrew Waszut was indicted by a federal grand jury on Sept. 23 for allegedly posting a video on Instagram with images that identified the ICE officer and allegedly called for violence against him, the DOJ said in an Oct. 7 statement on the case.

In the post, Waszut allegedly wrote, “And he’s an ICE agent. This is him unmasked. … So, go ahead and make him famous,” calling on people to “give him the cell block one treatment. You know, catch him when he’s alone,” if they see him out in public.

The DOJ noted that “cell block one treatment” referred to subjecting a detainee to physical violence.

A second man, Anthony Patrick Noto, was also indicted by a federal grand jury on Sept. 23 for allegedly making a call to violence against the same ICE officer’s wife, in a post on Instagram in which he allegedly wrote: “Anybody wanna test the sites [sic] on their new A-R? There’s a pretty good target right there!”

A-R was referring to a semiautomatic rifle.

“Federal agents deserve to perform their duties free of harassment from keyboard warriors and other agitators,” U.S. Attorney Theodore Hertzberg said.

His office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, is pursuing the charges as the ICE officer lives and works in Hertzberg’s district.

“Threatening law enforcement officers and their families is not only illegal—it’s disgusting. My office will ensure that anyone who threatens a federal agent in North Georgia, or who hides behind a computer screen to intimidate that agent’s immediate family, is found, arrested, prosecuted, and held accountable,” he added.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brent Alan Gray and Eric White are prosecuting the cases against Waszut, 41, and Noto, 63.

The FBI led the investigations in both cases.

Paul Brown, special agent in charge of the FBI Atlanta office, said in a statement: “Threats of violence against law enforcement officers and their families are not only reprehensible, but also a direct attack on the safety and integrity of our justice system. These charges serve as a clear reminder that threats of this nature will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Waszut, originally from Knoxville, Tennessee, is in the custody of Texas state law enforcement officers, who are in the process of charging him over a separate incident, in which he allegedly made “terroristic threats” against Republican lawmakers in their state. It’s unclear when he will be transferred into federal custody.

Noto, originally from Ronkonkoma, New York, has been taken into federal custody and has appeared in court.

Targeted Attacks

ICE officers have been facing violent attacks and threats since President Donald Trump, in his first term, acted to enforce immigration law in the United States, which was not welcomed by those who support more liberal border policies and sanctuary cities.

In 2019, after a targeted attack by gunfire on two ICE buildings in Texas, the then-acting chief of the Department of Homeland Security, Kevin McAleenan, said that the “demonizing” of ICE agents with misinformation was becoming concerning and dangerous. An ICE field office director said that the attack was spurred by “political rhetoric and misinformation that various politicians, media outlets, and activist groups recklessly disseminate.”

The trend has continued into 2025, with a Sept. 24 shooting at a Dallas ICE facility being the most recent attack. One detainee was killed, and two were critically wounded, one of whom later died. The alleged shooter, Joshua Jahn, 29, allegedly killed himself at the scene by gunshot.

Marcos Charles, acting executive associate director for ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, told reporters on Sept. 25 that the alleged shooter had “used the ICE tracking apps” in the attack. Apple and Google responded by removing the apps from their app stores.

Trump condemned the violence on Truth Social, praising the “brave men and women of ICE” who are “just trying to do their jobs” to enforce immigration law.

“This violence is the result of the Radical Left Democrats constantly demonizing Law Enforcement, calling for ICE to be demolished, and comparing ICE Officers to ‘Nazis,’” he said.

“I am calling on all Democrats to stop this rhetoric against ICE and America’s law enforcement, right now!” Trump wrote in all caps. “The Trump Administration is fully committed to backing Law Enforcement, Strong Borders, securing our Homeland, deporting Violent Illegal Criminals, and fully rooting out the Left Wing Domestic Terrorism that is terrorizing our Country.”

Democratic National Convention Chair Ken Martin issued a statement about the shooting on Sept. 24, saying, “I am grateful for the first responders and law enforcement officers who ran toward danger, am praying for the victims and their families, and condemn this senseless and cowardly attack.”

He added: “Let me be clear: It will take all of us — not just one side of the aisle or the other — to quell this epidemic of violence, which has no place in our democracy. Democrats remain committed to resolving differences through debate and elections, not with weapons. We also remain committed to enacting commonsense solutions to curb gun violence all across our country.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi said on Sept. 27 that assaults on ICE officers would be met with federal charges. The DOJ will also pursue “the most serious available charges” against those involved in crimes of “domestic terrorism,” she said.

Bondi testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Oct. 7 that there has been a “1,000 percent increase in violent attacks against our ICE officers” since Trump’s inauguration in January.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem said on Sept. 24 that politicians and media have been asked to “tone down” their rhetoric about the work of ICE and law enforcement.

“This shooting must serve as a wake-up call to the far-left that their rhetoric about ICE has consequences,” she said. “Comparing ICE day in and day out to the Nazi Gestapo, the Secret Police, and slave patrols has consequences.”

Critics of ICE in Congress have accused agents of using excessive force and causing “psychological terror” by wearing face coverings and using unmarked vehicles. Authorities said the agents wear masks to avoid being doxxed and targeted.

An ICE officer who was caught on video shoving an Ecuadorian woman to the floor on Sept. 25 was relieved from duty for misconduct.

ICE and U.S. Border Patrol have been increasing operations in states with sanctuary policies where local officials have refused to enforce immigration law or assist federal immigration officials.

“We will not allow sanctuary politicians or violent rioters to stop us from enforcing the law and arresting pedophiles, murderers, gang members, rapists, and domestic abusers from American communities,” DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said of recent operations in Illinois.

Portland, Oregon, and Chicago have seen sustained protests against these enforcement operations in front of their ICE facilities.

Savannah Hulsey Pointer, Darlene McCormick Sanchez, Joseph Lord, Nathan Worcester, and Simon Veazey contributed to this report.

From The Epoch Times