Federal authorities arrested Benjamin Azariah Southworth, 40, a former Los Angeles-based podcaster, Sept. 3 after a grand jury indicted him for allegedly threatening to kill President Donald Trump and cyberstalking Trump’s personal lawyer and the lawyer’s family.
Southworth was expected to make an appearance in the U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles later in the day.
He faces one count of threats against the president, one count of cyberstalking, and one count of harassing telephone calls in interstate communications, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles.
“As threats against President Trump’s life escalate, the Department of Justice will respond with the full force of the law,” Attorney General Todd Blanche said. “We will hold perpetrators of violent threats accountable, and anyone who makes these threats online will not be allowed to hide behind their screens.”
A federal grand jury indictment returned on Sept. 2 described social media postings Southworth allegedly made from January to May this year, according to prosecutors.
Southworth, whose podcast focuses on gay issues, is accused of using his accounts on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, and a website, to express his hatred toward Trump and Trump supporters.
Prosecutors say he also used the platforms to encourage others to abuse and harass the president and threaten violence against him.
On April 7, Southworth allegedly posted a video on Instagram that contained a series of threats against Trump, including stating that he had been vocal about calling for Trump’s execution and stating that the government was illegitimate and “out of control.” He also allegedly stated it was “time for a course correction” and allegedly said, “Kill Donald Trump,” according to court documents.
Three months earlier, Southworth allegedly posted on his TikTok account the home address of Trump’s personal attorney, along with the lawyer’s photo and a picture of the home. The post also contained the statement “No peace for traitors,” prosecutors alleged.
Southworth is also accused of leaving a series of abusive messages online and over voicemail to the attorney’s son and wife from January to May this year.
The U.S. Secret Service and the FBI are continuing to investigate the case.
“Cyberstalking and threats of murder are not considered mere political rhetoric under the law, but are serious criminal offenses that lead to prosecution, as today’s arrest highlights,” said Patrick Grandy, the assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI, working with our partners at the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, will ensure that threats and harassment against the President and others are addressed before threats turn to violence.”
Southworth, an Indiana native, had recently partnered with comedian Daniel Franzese of “Mean Girls” to create the interfaith LGBT comedy podcast “Yass, Jesus!” The show ended in 2024.
If convicted, Southworth could receive a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for threatening the president, five years in prison for cyberstalking, and two years in prison for telephonic harassment, prosecutors said.
Southworth was not available for comment following his federal arrest in Los Angeles, and it was unclear whether he had obtained or been assigned an attorney.
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