BERWICK, La. — Making a threat to the life of the President of the United States on a social media website has landed a Berwick man in jail.
Bruce Allen Gagneaux Jr., 23, of Sixth Street, was arrested by the Louisiana State Police at the behest of the U.S. Secret Service on a state charge of terrorizing, according to Tfc. Stephen Hammons of the state police.
Gagneaux was arrested Monday afternoon at his place of employment after the Secret Service and state police went to his residence, gathered evidence and received a warrant for his arrest, Hammons said.
He was jailed at the St. Mary Parish jail and later released on a $100,000 bail, according to Sheriff Mark Hebert.
Hammons could not say whether federal charges would be forthcoming, only that the existing state charge allowed for Gagneaux’s arrest.
“The U.S. Secret Service and the Louisiana State Police received information that he was making threats on a social media website to the life of the president,” he said, declining to say which website or the nature of the threats.
Berwick Police Department Police Chief James Richard said Wednesday that his department was available if the Secret Service needed help locating the Gagneaux, but police played no role in locating him.
“Their role was to notify us that they were in town,” Richard said of the contact between the Secret Service and the Berwick police.
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