Michigan man charged for illegally possessing guns, making threats to kill Gov. Whitmer, Biden, LGBTQ people

A Michigan man was charged this week for illegally possessing firearms while making threats to kill government officials, LGBTQ people and FBI agents, authorities said Friday.

Randall Robert Berka II, of Sebewaing, Mich., was illegally in possession of four firearms — three long guns and a pistol — as well as ammunition and body armor, the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Michigan said in a news release.

Since 2012, the 30-year-old suspect has been prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. After being involuntarily committed for mental health treatment, the state of Michigan determined Berka to be “legally incapacitated” and assigned him a legal guardian the following year, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court on Thursday.

His mother, who bought Berka the firearms, told FBI agents she feared for her life and didn’t think his mental treatment was working.

Berka came to the attention of the FBI after posting on YouTube several death threats to Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, President Joe Biden, members of the LGBTQ community, and law enforcement agents. Google, YouTube’s parent company, alerted authorities about the posts.

Among the statements, Berka wrote: “im going to kill these democrats biden deserves to die,” “im gonna kill lgbt freaks,” and “Im more than willing to kill whitmer and I do live in Michigan.”

In several of the posts, Berka used homophobic and transphobic slurs when referring to LGBTQ people. He also repeatedly said Democrats need “to be shot and die.”

“This defendant’s actions were very alarming,” James A. Tarasca, special agent in charge of the FBI in Michigan, said in a statement.

“When free speech crosses a line and becomes a threat of violence against another — aggravated by the illegal possession of firearms — the full investigative resources of the FBI will be brought to bear,” Tarasca added.

Berka is currently in jail pending a detention hearing on March 15. Federal prosecutors will ask the court to hold him in pretrial detention.

If convicted, Berka faces up to 15 years in prison.