ATLANTA — A Georgia man previously pardoned by President Donald Trump for threatening to shoot former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is back in federal custody, accused of making a series of violent threats online, including surrounding Georgia’s midterm elections.
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Federal prosecutors say Cleveland Meredith Jr. threatened federal judges and Georgia elected officials, while posting messages warning of an “absolute massacre” during the midterms and declaring that “Atlanta is gonna burn.”
In an interview with Channel 2’s Ashlyn Webb, U.S. Attorney Theodore Hertzberg said Meredith’s escalating social media posts in the weeks leading up to Election Day raised serious concerns among federal authorities.
“We take a zero tolerance approach to threatening behavior, including threatening behavior on social media,” Hertzberg said. “We take people seriously. We take them at their word. We’d rather be safe than sorry.”
According to federal court documents, Meredith posted a message on Facebook in April declaring, “ALL J6 FEDERAL JUDGES WILL BE EXECUTED!” That post is the basis of the new federal charge against him.
But prosecutors say Meredith continued posting threatening messages, including warnings directed at Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Meredith allegedly claimed the two officials would “pay dearly” for what he described as “colluding” with China.
As the Nov. 3 midterm elections approached, prosecutors say Meredith’s posts became increasingly alarming. Court documents describe messages warning that “firing squads” would begin the day after Election Day, predicting the midterms would be an “absolute massacre” and declaring that “Atlanta is gonna burn.”
Another post allegedly referenced starting a “politician deathpool game.”
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Federal prosecutors are now pointing to those election-related posts as they urge a judge to keep Meredith behind bars while his case moves forward.
Meredith has a history with federal law enforcement.
He previously pleaded guilty to threatening to shoot then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi after traveling to Washington, D.C., with firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition around the time of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
President Donald Trump later pardoned him.
But federal authorities say Meredith continued attracting law enforcement attention even after his earlier conviction.
Hertzberg told Channel 2 Action News that the FBI questioned Meredith about threatening social media posts in both 2024 and 2025.
Despite those run-ins with law enforcement, prosecutors say the threatening online rhetoric continued.
“An individual who knows that he has caught the attention of law enforcement but continues to make threats, post disturbing things that threaten violence, that gives us real, real concerns,” Hertzberg said.
Meredith was arrested Monday, the day before Election Day.
Although the new federal charge stems from his April post threatening judges involved in Jan. 6 cases, prosecutors are using his more recent election-related statements to argue that he poses an ongoing danger to the community.
A federal judge is expected to consider Thursday whether Meredith should remain in custody as the case proceeds.
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