The Biden-era Department of Justice announced Friday that a Florida man has been indicted for making online death threats against interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba, a Trump appointee and former White House counselor currently leading high-profile federal prosecutions.

According to the DOJ, 58-year-old Salvatore Russotto of Orlando has been charged in a two-count federal indictment after allegedly posting multiple threats to assassinate Habba on the platform X. Prosecutors said Russotto repeatedly referenced the number “86” — slang long associated with eliminating someone — in his online rants.

While the term “86” originated in the food service industry to mean “no longer available,” law enforcement officials emphasized its darker connotation in criminal contexts: a call for execution.

Among the threats cited in the indictment were posts stating, “Eliminate HABBA. 86 Traitor. Death penalty for all traitors” and “I HOPE YOU DIE A PAINFUL DEATH.”

Russotto now faces up to 10 years in federal prison if convicted on both counts — threatening a federal official and retaliating against a law enforcement officer.

The announcement came from interim U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida Greg Kehoe, though authorities declined to provide an official motive for the threats. However, the timing raises serious questions. The posts were made on May 19, the same day Habba announced criminal charges against far-left Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) for obstructing federal agents during a chaotic standoff outside an immigration enforcement facility in Newark.

McIver had been interfering in the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who was later charged by Habba with trespassing. Although that case was later dropped, Baraka has since filed suit against Habba, claiming political retaliation — a common tactic used by progressive politicians to deflect accountability.

Earlier this week, McIver pleaded not guilty to separate charges of assaulting and interfering with Department of Homeland Security officers. Her trial is set for November 10.

President Donald J. Trump, now in his second term, appointed Alina Habba as interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey in March, marking a continuation of his efforts to restore law and order across America. The Wall Street Journal reports that Habba is expected to be formally nominated for the role soon.

The threats against her follow a disturbing trend of politically motivated violence and coded rhetoric online — much of it originating from former federal officials. Just weeks ago, disgraced former FBI Director James Comey triggered a firestorm by posting a cryptic photo on Instagram of seashells spelling out “86 47” — interpreted by many as a veiled call to assassinate Trump, the 47th president of the United States.

Though Comey attempted to dodge accountability by claiming ignorance of the meaning — and shifting blame to someone else for arranging the shells — public backlash was swift. He quietly deleted the post, but the damage had already been done.

President Trump rejected Comey’s excuse, calling it laughable:

“He knew exactly what that meant. A child knows what that meant,” Trump told Fox News’s Bret Baier. “If you’re the FBI director, and you don’t know what that meant, that meant ‘assassination,’ and it says it loud and clear.”

New FBI Director Kash Patel, appointed by President Trump, confirmed the bureau has launched a formal investigation into Comey’s post and is monitoring for “copycat threats” across the country.

Patel applauded the swift arrest of Russotto, calling it a crucial step in protecting America’s public servants from radicalized individuals influenced by the reckless language of former officials.

“A dangerous copycat, fueled by reckless rhetoric from former officials, threatened those protecting our country,” Patel posted on X. “Political violence has no place here. Proud of our [FBI Tampa] and thankful to our Florida partners for acting fast to deliver justice.”

As political tensions rise and the radical Left continues to embrace hostility toward law enforcement and constitutional order, cases like this serve as a stark reminder of what’s at stake — and who’s standing up to protect America.