Terrifying online rants: Florida senior pleads guilty to death threats against high-ranking U.S. officials
Florida – A 79-year-old man from Florida has pleaded guilty in federal court after authorities said he used social media to make direct threats against high-ranking U.S. officials. Prosecutors said the language he used went beyond rhetoric and showed an obvious intent to do damage.
Benjamin Rubin acknowledged to a federal offense of sending threats to hurt or murder federal officials over state lines. This crime may get him up to 10 years in prison. The plea comes after an examination into a number of internet posts made earlier this year that concerned law enforcement and made them act quickly.
Court records show that Rubin’s posts showed up over the course of several weeks in early 2025 and were more and more explicit. Prosecutors stated that what started out as furious political criticism turned into statements that targeted individual government figures and talked about violent activities. Authorities paid particular attention to what happened in February, when Rubin’s online language got more direct and personal.
On February 20, Rubin, from New Port Richey, allegedly wrote that the head of a federal law enforcement agency “will be assassinated.” Prosecutors said this was a major turning point in the investigation. Investigators said the threat was neither vague or hypothetical and was made public, which made people worry about the safety of federal officials.
Two days later, Rubin’s posts got worse. Court documents show that he went after a member of the U.S. Cabinet who had recently participated in a TV ad about immigration policy. Rubin said in that post that he had shot his TV when the official came on screen and hinted that any future meeting would involve gunshots targeted at her directly.
Federal authorities said the combination of named individuals, violent language, and repeated posts prompted an immediate response. The U.S. Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office all worked together on the case. Investigators looked into Rubin’s online activities and tried to figure out how serious and credible the threats were.
United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe said that the guilty plea shows that the government will take threats against public officials, no matter how old or why they were made, as severe federal offenses. Prosecutors made it clear that people are nonetheless responsible for their actions online, even if they cross the line into illegal behavior.
The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Wheeler III. Officials have not disclosed whether Rubin possessed firearms at the time of the posts or whether additional conditions will be imposed ahead of sentencing.
While he waits for his sentence, Rubin is still under the surveillance of a federal court. There isn’t a date set yet, but federal law says he could spend up to ten years in prison. The court will also look at any elements that make the sentence less or more severe that both sides bring forth.
Federal officials used the case to say again that threats of violence are never acceptable even when they are made in a political argument. They said that threats made online are watched and can have the same legal effects as threats made in person.
